A Secret Life
by Peregrine2
Summary: Kat and Patrick deal with show cancellations, relationship scrutiny from Walter, and a whole host of secrets about Patrick's life.
1. Chapter 1

The Secret Life of Kat-Katrick, T for salty language and sexual situations.

Summary: Kat is convinced that stupidity is running rampant when her favorite show is cancelled without warning.

Note: Yes, this is a reaction to the recent news that 5 episodes is all we have left of our beloved Ten Things. I am still in shock and feeling bitter about this decision.

****[Kat]

My Monday morning misery started with a tweet from my online bff. "OMFG. They axed God and Country."

Power TV ran a show about a whip smart ex-military woman turned minister with a hankering for the hunky sexton at her church. It was so much like the character I adored in Julia Spencer-Fleming's mystery series that I was glued to the set every Monday at 8. The show's fans were as rabidly obsessed as me, and tweeted about every nuance and subtext between Jayne and Sully. Our hearts beat almost as wildly as the Twilight crowd, though we hid our mania behind the smug self-assurance that we were above such crazed behavior.

Fan fiction for the show boiled over at ffnet and swamped the boards at public and private forums. I was good for a few drabbles, but my favorite tweeter had an adoring audience who followed her every utterance with a collective sigh. But now that our bubble was burst, rage and hatred toward the clueless suits at PTV was overtaking the coos and giggles on the network's web site.

My online handles were nowhere close to my real name, and not even Mandella knew I shipped so hard that I couldn't see straight. I downloaded the show from a blogging group and watched it with feverish intensity after the lights went out each night. My Dad and Bianca knew nothing about this side of me, and I preferred to keep it that way.

The car ride was sheer torture, and Bianca jabbered so effortlessly that she barely noticed my silence. As we got out of the car, she said, "Hmm, either Patrick pissed you off, or you've been tuning into Dr. Laura."

"None of the above," I said flatly, slamming the car door so hard that the Volvo vibrated.

"OK." Bianca help up her hands in surrender and moved off to join her friends.

And wouldn't you know, the very first person I encountered was the smirking countenance of Patrick Verona, the person most likely to find out the truth and mock me for all eternity.

Yeah, this was turning crappier by the second.

[Patrick]

I could practically see storm clouds brewing when Kat approached me, her black coat flying behind her as if caught up in a full gale. "Crap, crap." She muttered under her breath and kicked the locker next to mine, leaving an impressive dent in Tabitha Cook's locker.

"Wow, what did I do now?" I asked with a smirk.

Kat rolled her eyes. "It's not _always _about you."

I leaned in close. "Isn't it?"

Her lips tightened. "Spare me the charm. I've had a crappy morning."

"Really? So what bug crawled up your ass this time?"

Kat made a haha gesture with her luscious mouth. "Nothing you care about."

"Try me." I caught sight of Tabitha bearing down on us and linked my arm through hers. "But not here."

We barely got around the corner before an enraged shriek reached us. "Did she see me?"

I peeked back around the corner where Tabitha was definitely not doing a happy dance. "Don't think so. So, wanna tell me what's got you all hot and bothered?"

We were standing toe to toe and her nostrils flared slightly when her agile mind calculated the very short distance between our lips. "Can't." Kat looked down and dug her hands in her pockets, and the becoming flush on her cheeks was worth the price I'd pay for prying the answer out of her.

"Sure you can." It was almost impossible not to touch her, so I brushed aside an errant curl and waited expectantly. "Tell me."

"Promise you won't laugh?" Kat's dark eyes pleaded with me, and she looked so adorable that I wanted to lap her up.

"Sure." I caught her clean scent and inhaled deeply as she regarded me with a stony expression.

"They cancelled my ____." I didn't hear the last bit because she mumbled it through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" My fingers went to my ear dramatically.

Kat swatted my fingers away and snarled, "Those assholes at Power TV cancelled my show after five episodes."

My only TV was a crappy, black and white model that dated back to the Reagan years. Blank chose that exact second to pass by, and I couldn't resist my old chap vocal inflection. "_That_'s why your panties are in a twist?" My laugh gurgled out despite my best intentions.

She punched my bicep. "Jerk. I _knew _you wouldn't understand."


	2. Chapter 2

2

Note: This installment was gratefully assisted by The High Violets and their lovely remixes.

[Kat]

I wrote furiously in my notebook, bearing down so hard that I ripped holes in the paper. My scathing invective didn't even impress me, and was guaranteed to earn circular file status from the mouth breathers at PTV. My head came up and I caught Patrick grinning at me from the safe refuge of the balcony. "What?" I said with a glare that would have scared lesser men away.

He slid down the stair rail and landed in front of me. "How's that poison pen working for you?"

"If you're going to mock, then get out of my face."

"And miss all the fun? Not a chance."

I tossed my hair angrily and got to my feet. "I'm not in the mood."

My quick stride was no match for his longer legs. "So how else can I annoy you today?"

"Let me count the ways." I held up five fingers and closed them into a fist.

"Aw, is that all? You'll have to do better than that."

I kept walking and Patrick was soon back at my side. "I'm saving my ammo for someone else."

"Like Blank Slate?" Patrick jerked his head toward Blank and his cognoscenti.

"Please," I said with an indignant snort.

"So what is this show, Firing Line?"

"You're eleven years too late."

He slapped his forehead. "Damn, no wonder I keep seeing reruns."

"Are you finished?" I stopped at the hallway fork between his locker and mine.

Patrick moved in so close that our noses touched. "Just getting started, princess."

His accent was pure Han Solo and a laugh almost made it past my defenses. "Then I hope you have AAA, because it's a long road ahead for that crappy ship of yours."

*****  
[Patrick]

I accosted Bianca on my way to my bike. "What's up with your sister?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe one of her social causes got its funding pulled."

"But the world hasn't ended," I pointed out as I shifted my back pack onto my bike.

Her eyebrows raised in amusement. "You could always beat it out of her."

"Tried that already," I joked. "She's up in arms about some dumb TV show that got cancelled."

Bianca cocked her head slightly. "No way."

"_Way." _Kat was headed in our direction, so I hopped on my bike and took off before she could rip me a new one.

*****  
[Kat]

"What did Patrick want?"

Bianca got in next to me and changed the station to some of her favorite manufactured muzak. "Besides eating my flesh? Not a thing."

I was beyond exasperated with the world in general. "Don't see anything missing....oh, wait, is that the hole where he sucked out your brain?"

She sighed as I turned the dial back to Courtney Love's razor blade voice. "He said you're pissed about some show."

"Well, he's wrong," I lied, hating myself even as I protected my secret identity as an uber fan of G&C.

"Has to be, 'cuz you _never _watch TV. So why would he say that?"

My shrug was all the answer she got, and the conversation effectively ended with our arrival at chez Stratford.

[Patrick]

Note: I don't know if we'll find out why Patrick was kicked out in tomorrow's episode, but I thought I would weave this part in here.

I turned off the engine to my bike a half block before my house and stared at the ugly black truck parked crosswise in our driveway. Its chrome pipes screamed look at me look at me and its hunting, fishing, and Harley stickers left no doubt that its owner (Dick) was rather limited. When I got closer, the worn out McPain-Palin sticker gave me fresh cause for hilarity, but that stopped when I heard them going at it through the open windows of our living room.

It was bad enough when they banged the walls late at night, but this latest excursion was in broad daylight, with half the neighborhood treated to their frenzied coupling.

With dismay, I caught sight of Mrs. Laramie, who shook her head in disapproval as she picked up her mail. When she saw me, her disgust changed to the same pity she always showed me. On occasion, food would find its way to my doorstep, and I suspected her as the donor. Tonight I'd be lucky to sneak some midnight mac and cheese after my Mom and her latest lout passed out on the floor.

I entered the house through the kitchen and almost made it to the stairs when the kitchen door banged open, slammed against the wall by Dick as my Mom went down on him. He threw back his head and howled like a coyote as he came, and the tableau was so nasty and ridiculous that I bust out laughing. Dick's head whipped around and connected with the door, which only fueled the fire in his pig ugly skull. He came at me, all tats and beer gut hanging over his privates like an overstuffed muffin and I jumped nimbly aside, still smirking as he chugged after me, threatening me with all sorts of violence. My Mom stood idly by (that was what she did best, after all) with her mouth open and at least had the presence of mind to grab her robe while her squeeze attempted to catch me. I almost made it to the door when his fist knocked me sideways, and I knew I was no match for Dick's 78 inches and 300 pounds. With hands raised in surrender, I tried scooting past him, but his meaty fingers caught my collar and he tossed me out the door like yesterday's trash.

My bike beckoned, and I decided that spending the night on a park bench was way better than going back in there. I rode for a long time, and hung out at the beach until sundown, and Kat's face floated into my head as I sat on a rock. Privileged kid that she was, she had no idea what I went through every day. Yeah, we were both missing a parent, but the similarities ended there.

In the mean time, it was getting cold and maybe I'd be greeted by her open window. And hell, I didn't care if she complained all night about her stupid show, for at least there I'd be welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Note: So Too Much Information has aired, and we now know that Patrick lives with his mother and stepfather, and it's a fractious relationship at best. I am not going to change my story to accommodate show canon, because we probably got all we are going to get of his background, and the show is ending in a month. So consider this an alternative story line, and enjoy it for what it is.

[Kat]

Sex Hair was here. In my bedroom. Half naked. Lying only a few feet away, easily within reach if I decided to hop on board and take him out for a test drive.

Patrick was _sublime_, making my man Sully's character look like an overinflated tire by comparison. Sully's chest was freshly waxed, and about as appealing as a naked mole rat with his pink skin and six pack.

But the man boy on my floor with the D average in Trig was compelling from every angle.

I might be analytical and rational, but there was nothing logical about the rush of heat that suffused me whenever he leaned in close and stared at my mouth, or let his eyes trail lower to the rest of my tender bits, which I tried but failed to hide with my baggy clothes. It never mattered, because I felt like Patrick could see straight into my soul, knowing what I felt even before I got a clue, kissing away my reason with that full, sensual mouth that he used so well. His lips had traveled the length of my neck and shoulders, dusting my collarbone with swipes of his tongue, but not being granted further passage to the hills and valleys of my breasts.

He made me ache and burn in the best way, and gave my left hand a good workout when he starred in my many fantasies. I'd crossed home only once, and that had been an epic failure on so many levels that I tried to blot it out. But that one trip to the dark side had awakened something in me, a wild, passionate side that I tried to deny with sarcastic venom. Only, SH knew it was all a game, lobbing my verbal arrows straight back at me and eventually scoring my heart (I was long past the point of no return).

A splash of moonlight cut a swath across his body, illuminating his chest hair in silvery strands that begged me to snare my hands in them. My fingers twitched impatiently, and my entire being wanted to slide against the length of him, sucking and tasting every delicious inch of his incredible body.

[Patrick]

I could smell her from my spot on the floor, and her vanilla and jasmine essence filled my senses. Those earlier kisses had quickly morphed into such arousal that my pants felt three sizes too small. The naked lust on her face when I gleefully pulled off my shirt was staggering, lasting only for a second but telling me what I already knew.

Kat tossed and turned for awhile, and I smirked at the sound of her retainer clicking against her teeth in frustration. It wasn't long before he breathing shifted into a rather fitful sleep. I watched her for a long time, and almost laughed out loud when she murmured my name in vexation. There was more mumbling and then she clearly said, "You can't be here." That was followed by a joyful laugh and the word 'jerk', uttered several times without malice behind it.

She was a fascinating study, and I decided there was nothing sexier than a sleep-tousled Kat in the throes of a great dream. "Mmm." Her sudden moan raised the fine hairs on the back of my neck. "Not like that..._lower_. Umm..._there_."

Her covers were rippling and I suspected she was taking care of business. She undulated a few times and gasped several times before muttering, "Thanks, Sully.

My eyes opened wide at that name and I sat up and stared at her.

_Who the hell was Sully?_ What, that douche Blank Slate and I weren't enough for her? I felt a bit of my Sicilian temper come snaking into play, and I wondered where she got off fantasizing about yet another dude.  
****


	4. Chapter 4

4

Note: Sorry for the short chapter, but I figured a small update was better than nothing. I will have absolutely no time until mid week to write.

[Kat]

A soft rustling brought me fully awake, and that's when I remembered. Patrick was here, and I'd been dreaming about _him_...in vivid color, and as a full participant. It had been way steamier than usual. and I was soaked in sweat. My dream was a series of unconnected vignettes, like the part about me thanking Sully...it was like I had been in the body of Jayne the pastor, praising him for a job well done.

Patrick stirred in his sleep and I breathed a sigh of relief that at least he hadn't witnessed me in the throes of a dream. Because I was loud, and my voice sometimes carried across the hall and woke up Bianca.

With the house quiet and everyone down for the count, it was the perfect time to fire up my computer, jack in my headphones, and swoon over the latest installment of God and Country. It had been my Monday night ritual for the past year, and soon it would be over when the curtain went down on the tenth episode. I had four more delicious installments, and then all I'd have were memories and a small handful of exquisite fan fic written by my online bff.

I'd been in ostrich mode for the past week, but burying in my head in the sand wasn't working. It only delayed the inevitable feelings of disappointment, frustration, and anger over how clueless these mouth breathing network goons were. But hey, this was a perfect opportunity to stand up and make them take notice, even if I was captain of a sinking ship called Cancellation.

[Patrick]

Something nudged my consciousness and interrupted a very sexy dream where I'd been this close to sleeping with Kat. Our walls had been down and her tongue was down my throat when I was jerked awake.

I automatically looked over at the bed.

_Empty_.

But I sensed her close by and my dark adapted eyes picked up a sliver of light from across the room. It drew me upright, and I looked between the bed and her desk, wondering if I should pull a Goldilocks and steal the warm, sweet-smelling spot in the center of her double bed.

It was _so _tempting, but curiosity won out and I followed the light, which came from underneath a Kat shaped blanket.

_What the hell was going on?_

I hunkered down and caught sight of an enraptured Kat, dark eyes totally glued to some video on her computer. Her mouth curved into a pleased smile, quickly followed by a scowl and a frustrated sigh. She started chewing on her lip, and tapped her keyboard a few times. I heard the Windows shut down chime through her earphones and stepped back a bit, waiting until she emerged.

Kat took two steps and collided with the wall of my chest. My hand snaked out to muffle her startled cry and I whispered, "Sorry."

"What are you doing up?" Her whisper was almost comical with its hint of outrage as she pushed me away from her.

"I could ask you the same thing."

I returned to my cold, hard sleeping bag and watched her snuggle under the covers. "Couldn't sleep," was all she said as she settled beneath the duvet.

"If you say so." Amusement colored my tone and elicited the desired response.

"Meaning _what_?" Kat retorted.

My snicker stirred some furious movement on her part. "You talk in your sleep."

I could almost feel her fingers clenching. "I do _not_," Kat hissed.

"You sure about that?" My grin widened at her sudden intake of breath.

"OK, so what if I do? It's not like I say anything coherent."

"Wrong again."

That brought her bolt upright and her glare was almost palpable. "Tell me what I said," she ordered.

"Naw, I'm going to savor this," I joked, deliberately tossing our old exchange into the mix.

"Not if I kill you first," Kat warned.

I turned over and faced her with a smirk. "Can't stake what's already dead, Buffy."

She threw a pillow at me, which I threw back with a silent whoop of laughter. Our exchange turned into a full on pillow fight, which ended abruptly when the hallway door swung open and the light was snapped on by an irate Wally with a pointing finger.  
*****


	5. Chapter 5

5

[Kat]

"I can ecksplain," I said in unison with Patrick's casual, "Evening, Dr. Stratford."

Dad's eyes narrowed at the sight of Patrick's exposed chest. "I must have missed the memo about coed pajama parties."

"I was just leaving." Patrick held the pillow against himself like a shield, but he'd need a lot more than feathers to hold my Dad at bay.

"_Sit_." My Dad chopped his hand downward and straddled my desk chair. When I stood there mutely, he added, "You too!"

I assumed a lotus position and my knees creaked as if in protest. "Nothing happened."

Dad waved off my feeble blowback. "Save it, Katarina. I'm more interested in hearing what your deep-voiced man boy has to say."

The _your _perked up my ears and I watched Patrick's face twitch uncomfortably under Dad's scrutiny. "It's like this. I needed a place to crash."

"So you thought you'd land on my daughter's runway?" Dad kept a perfectly straight face as he said this, but I swear I saw a twinkle behind his red-faced glare.

Patrick almost smirked but thought better of it at the last second. "Something like that."

"Parents kick you out?"

That elicited a shrug from Patrick. "Had a run-in with my Mom's boyfriend."

Dad shook his head. "Mouthed off, did you?"

Patrick's brows drew together as he frowned. "Nope. Caught 'em in the act."

My father's face reddened at this tidbit. "Son, surely there's someone I can call. Perhaps a friend?"

My almost boyfriend shook his head. "It's here or the park."

It was time to put a lid on Dad's version of the Spanish Inquisition. "Dad, please, it's 2AM. He can sleep on the couch."

Dad looked between us and his gaze softened slightly. "All right, just for one night. We'll sort this out tomorrow."

Patrick looked stunned. "Thanks, Dr. Stratford."

"You're welcome." My father inclined his head slightly, obviously surprised that Patrick hadn't been raised by wolves. Perhaps my etching his arm with a Sharpie had helped after all.

Dad watched Patrick gather up his blanket and pillow and just before Patrick got to the door, he cleared his throat and pointed at the discarded T-shirt. "Forgetting something, son? This isn't Blacks Beach."

That got a laugh out of Patrick as he scooped up his shirt. "Spent some time there, sir?"

I snickered and earned a warning glance from my father as he followed Patrick out and shut the door firmly behind him. 


	6. Chapter 6

6

[Patrick]

The couch was reasonably comfortable, but my racing mind kept me awake for a long time. I relived my confrontation with my mother's latest knuckle dragger and ended with the word _Sully _ringing in my head. Apparently I wasn't the only one with secrets in this relationship.

That's when it hit me...I had finally admitted Kat was something more than a friend with benefits. And the fact that I was here rather than crashing at Keith's love shack spoke volumes.

I'd never been this close to anyone, and it scared the crap out of me. After my father died, everyone in my life had pushed me away or forgotten about me. That extended to school teachers and former friends, who couldn't deal with my grief and anger. Rather than trying to help me, they branded me a soul-sucking, flesh-eating serial killer. The only person who might have helped was my father's sister Rachel, but my mother's scary lawyer made sure she was forever kept at arm's length. As far as I knew, she still ran her book shop up by the seaside in Half Moon Bay.

Whatever came before was water under the bridge, so maybe it was time to reach out to her.

Despite appearances, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I _can _read, know more than a few multisyllabic words, and have more on my mind than banging chicks. Kat has figured some of this out, but I am still a man of mystery where she's concerned.

I'd like to keep it that way, if only to spare her from interacting with the parental thugs at that place called home, my own personal version of Dante's Inferno.

[Kat]

He was gone from the couch at dawn, the blanket neatly folded and draped over the pillow that had so recently been used as a weapon in our pillow fight.

I picked it up and laid my face against it, catching his faint, clean scent and memorizing it for future reference.

Because maybe my dreams are all I will ever have with him, this elusive boy who tries but fails to hide his heart behind those intensely dark, searching eyes and sarcastic veneer.

I've seen that he cares, even while he pushes me away and refuses to acknowledge the tenuous but growing connection between us.

I put down the pillow and spotted a piece of paper stuck between the cushions. There was something familiar about the left-slanted cursive:

_Who's Sully?_

OMG, I _had _been talking in my sleep.

How could I explain this without looking completely foolish?

I ran up the stairs and reached for my phone, pulling up my pen pal's name and mindlessly typing out my panic.

The cracks in my carefully constructed facade were starting to spread. What the hell should I do?

Her answer was short but telling.

_Tell him the truth._

Hmm, now there was a thought. Trouble was, Patrick was a bit short on playing it straight. Why should I trust him when he barely trusted me?

_Give it time._

That damned song by The Steps that the local college station had been playing non-stop returned to permanent residency in my skull. It bounced around all day and lasted right to the point when Patrick asked to borrow my car.  
*****


	7. Chapter 7

7

Note: Yes, this veers away from show canon, but then, it did in the beginning before I even knew Patrick had a stepfather. So we have the asshole boyfriend instead, which is enough reason to seek out therapy. And people who still don't know who Sully is should go back and read the first chapter-every line please. Really, I appreciate the feedback, but I don't think the story is that difficult to follow, is it? This is about as straightforward as it gets. Show gets cancelled, fans get pissed off, and one of them decides to campaign about it (oops, that was a spoiler). The other story is Patrick's lousy home life, and his attempt to reach out to Rachel (you thought I forgot my favorite peripheral character? Not a chance. She is a little different here).

[Patrick]

My good mood evaporated when I saw the remains of my bike scattered across the front yard. Mrs. Laramie peeked through the hole in her bedroom shade and I could smell her disapproval from ten yards away. That was nothing compared to the red haze in front of my eyes as my anger roared into life.

I could almost see it unfold as I picked up the pieces of my Honda and stacked them near the garage.

That asshole Dick (overinflated dude with the gun rack and an IQ lower than Dubya's) ran over my bike with his monster truck.

He must have done it last night in a drunken rage after one of his 'turn it to 11' fights with my Mom. Nigel Tufnel has nothing on this mouth-breather.

He and my Mom had no idea that I knew cars from the inside out, and when I got done with his truck, it wouldn't be good for anything but the scrap heap.

I snuck into the house and managed to get in a shower before the hot water ran out. Even better, I found actual food in the fridge and stuffed it into my backpack before dialing Keith and begging for a ride.

I found Kat talking to one of her frenemies and was surprised when she dragged me into her sister's favorite trysting closet.

She started giving me the third degree when I asked to borrow her car, but there's no way I was letting Kat anywhere near this subject, so I pushed past her sullenly when she refused to loan her car to me.

After what happened overnight, I had to see my therapist, Roy. He's been keeping me sane for the past three years, and I had a free ride on the therapy bus thanks to some social program for underprivileged kids.

[Kat]

Some male with a sick sense of humor invented the whole Josie May concept. I felt ridiculous in this guise, and was about to blow my stack when I heard that annoying woman tapping on the window yet again.

Oh, crap, it was Patrick, looking way more pissed than I'd ever seen him.

My attempt to explain my way out of this fell flat, and ended with a key toss that nearly broke a nail (yeah, really!).

I followed him in my Volvo and convinced him to let me drive him by using the tried and true 'we don't have to talk' ploy.

When I offered to drive him home, I got that closed off, annoyed look that told me I was treading on dangerous ground.

Fine, I would settle for PHS if that was all he would give me.

Not being able to help myself, I threw out my Dad's favorite team and had the Padres tossed back at me.

OK, foul ball already.

"See? That's something I didn't know about you. Sharing is fun."

"Why do you care so much?" Patrick eyed me with suspicion as we crawled along behind an old man with a hat driving a Cadillac at a snail's pace.

"_Because_," was all I was ready to give him.

"Because _what_?" Wow, defensive much?

"I just care about you, OK?" There, it was out, and I couldn't take it back. "God, I'm _sorry_, I'll stop."

One look was all it took to floor me. He was staring back in wonder, like I was an oasis in the desert of his life. I returned my gaze to the old poop ahead and slammed on my brakes when he turned without warning. "Good idea," Patrick said with a sideways grin that melted my insides.

The timing was pitch perfect, and immediately relieved the tension. This called for some music to lighten the mood even more, so I switched on the radio and almost groaned when Give it Time flooded the car at top volume.

I reached over to lower it and was stopped by Patrick's fingers curling around mine. I looked down with my own fascination, and nearly collided with a moronic housewife jabbering on a cell phone. She flipped me the bird as she sailed off and I laughed at my own stupid state.

How was it that I turned into complete mush when it came to Patrick? It was like someone turned off my brain and imprinted Bianca's on top of it. We got to the high school, and just before Patrick got out, he leaned over and kissed my cheek. His warm breath fanned my face when he asked, "So, when do I get to meet Sully?"


	8. Chapter 8

8

[Patrick]

Kat's cheeks turned Josie May pink as she chewed on her lips and looked away. "Umm, you can't," she declared after a long beat.

I should have let her off the hook, but I wasn't ready to let this go. "Why, is he some big man on campus or something?"

She gazed at me through her curtain of hair. "Not even close."

"Then what?" My fingers fiddled with the door lock as I pretended none of this really mattered.

"He doesn't exist."

"_Huh_." Yeah, that made perfect sense. "Except in your dreams."

Her dark eyes met and held mine. "Not just there."

I only liked playing mind games when it was on my terms. "You know what? When you figure it out, give me a call." The passenger door got stuck and that's when I remembered it only opened from the outside.

Kat rushed out and jacked it open with her foot. As I straightened up and got ready to jet, she touched my sleeve and said, "He's a TV character."

That was so out of left field that I gaped at her. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Not about this." She opened up her backpack and pulled out a banner. In wordless fascination, I watched her unfold it and display it on the hood of her car.

"God and Country?"

Kat nodded stiffly and looked so solemn that I swear a tear gleamed in her eye. "I'm starting a campaign. Want to help?"

Last time I helped her out I got suspended. "Do what?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Save my show." She dug out something from her back pocket and handed me a pile of cards. "Hand these out to all the mouth-breathers, and you'll have my undying love."

I handed them back. "No thanks."

Three steps later she was keeping pace with me. "I'll _pay _you," she said with an enterprising gleam in her eyes.

Now _that _caught my interest. "How much?" I turned to face her with crossed arms.

"Twenty bucks for the first batch, and another twenty if you agree to pass out flyers."

Sounded like an easy 40 to me. "Deal." We slapped palms and I was on my way, wondering how I got myself into these things. But then my befuddled brain remembered how good she smelled and the way she tasted and it all became real clear. 


	9. Chapter 9

9

[Kat]

Principal Holland made a face when I explained what I wanted to do. "What, no mole rats need saving?"

I would _never _live that down. "Not today."

"Drat." She snapped her fingers in mock disappointment. "Why should I let you do this?"

"Because you secretly _love _the show," I said with a pointed glance at her purse, which sported a tiny image of Sully.

She hissed in annoyance and shoved her handbag in a drawer. "The show is doomed, Kat. Get over it and move on."

I bit back a sarcastic comeback. "I _can't_ let this go. And neither should you."

Her dark eyes flashed at me. "I signed the petition _and _wrote a letter."

"That's a good start, but it's not enough." My voice was rising with my conviction, and I had to sway her to my side.

"Two of the actors have already been cast in new shows." Principal Holland reached for my confiscated bottle of ibuprofen and shook out two capsules.

"That's unconfirmed," I said hotly.

Holland waved her hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter. There's nothing we can do."

"Sure there is. Over two hundred fans have pooled their funds to take out a full page ad in Variety."

She snickered. "That's _so _last decade."

"It worked for Roswell."

"Which was actually on a network that _gave _a damn."

"True, but they got three seasons out of it."

Holland rolled her eyes. "That show was a joke after Season One. They should have quit while they were ahead."

That was hardly the point. "You may be right, but this isn't the case with G&C. We have a real chance to make a difference, and get our full season order."

"What's this _we_, kimosabe?"

I sighed. "OK, look, can I at least hand out postcards at lunch? It won't cost the school anything, and I promise to be clear of the quad before lunch period ends."

She looked down at her pain killers and swallowed them without water. "Get Chastity on board with it and I'll give you a green light."

[Patrick]

Kat rushed out of Holland's office and linked her arm through mine. "Houston, we have a problem."

She didn't know the half of it. "What's that?"

"Chastity." Her words bubbled out and before I knew it, she was in full geyser mode over Holland's ultimatum.

"Don't sweat it," I said with a smirk. Compared to my problems at home, this was a piece of cake.

She skewered me with a sharp glance. "Really, so what's your plan, Einstein?"

We got to her locker and I whispered, "Other than disrupting the space-time continuum?"

A tiny smile hovered at the edge of her beautiful lips. "Yeah."

"Better if you don't know." I leaned in and claimed a kiss, and before I was more than a few strides down the hall, I knew exactly how this would go down.

[Kat]

Chastity snorted when I laid down my proposal. "What's in it for me?"

"The chance to save a great show," I proclaimed, handing out my cards to the other cheerleaders and ignoring Bianca's warning glance.

Dawn looked confused as she read the card. "I thought Sully was a hairy mountain man."

"That's Dr. Quinn," Bianca corrected.

"Oh, right. Maybe we should save that show instead."

"Umm, it's off the air."

"Really? How long?" Dawn folded the card in half and tucked it in her pocket.

"12 years!"

"Wow, so is this a remake or something?"

This was going to be harder than I thought. "Nope, so what do you think?" I said, directing this last comment to Chastity.

She was turning the postcard I had labored over into a paper airplane. With a bright smile, she set it sailing toward the trash can, where it bounced off the rim and landed in someone's coffee. "_Oops_. Guess that ship has sailed."

"Is that all you have to say?" I countered with growing irritation.

"Yuppers." Chastity got to her feet and the other cheerleaders followed her like sheep, including my sister, who offered me a shrug before trotting after the flock.

[Patrick]

My oldest friend Jess and I stood in the parking lot and admired our handiwork. "Job well done, dude," I said, bumping his fist with mine before settling my frame against Kat's hood and waiting for the fireworks.

"Thanks, but you owe me big time." He had called in some favors with some local gang bangers, who were more than happy to assist with our scheme.

"Yeah, I'll set you up with my cousin when she visits next time." It was _always _about Lucia and how much he wanted her.

"_Seriously_? That would be awesome."

I laughed at how obvious he was. "Too bad she got deported."

Jess knew me too well to believe that. "Yeah, right. So when's her next visit?"

My shrug was the best answer I could give. "No idea. Want me to check my eight ball?"

"Haha. Maybe you can make it happen."

Lucia had her own agenda, and as much as we got along, she disliked my Mom enough to stay away. "I'll see what I can do."

Jess looked at my usual parking spot and furrowed his brow. "So where's your ride?"

In about a million pieces. "Oh, here and there."

He continued to frown. "What did that lard ass do now?"

I folded my arms and imagined Dick getting fried by the fire of a thousand suns. "Backed over it."

"What the fuck?" Jess looked over at me, quickly discerning that my twitching jaw was a bad sign.

"So I'm riding with the Kat lady until I make other arrangements." I looked at my feet, but I wasn't fooling anyone but myself.

"Gonna take a real _slow _ride with that one." Jess laughed when I punched his arm.

"It's not _like _that."

"Until it _is_."

"Yeah, whatever." I spotted Chastity and Bianca off in the distance and added, "It's show time, dude."


	10. Chapter 10

10

[Kat]

I was walking behind my sister when Chastity stopped dead in front of her parking space. "Where the _hell _is my car?" She tapped her foot impatiently and looked at her squad like they could supply the answer. "_Well_?"

Bianca and Dawn exchanged worried glances. "I have no idea, Chastity. It was here last period when I ran out to my Kat's car to grab my sweater."

Chastity caught sight of me and narrowed her eyes. "You know anything about this, Norma?"

Ah, I was one level above Heinous Bitch; things _were _looking up. "Not a clue." That's when I caught sight of Patrick and his friend lounging against my car, smirks firmly in place.

The head cheerleader followed the direction of my gaze and flounced over to them. "You always skip class, Hannibal. Tell me what went down."

"More like up." Patrick's friend pointed toward the sky and I think our jaws all dropped in unison.

There on the roof of the auto shop was her Mini Cooper, completely plastered with flyers for God and Country. Chastity ran over and stared in disbelief, her hands flying to her face as she took it all in. It took every ounce of self control to restrain myself from laughing hysterically, but I could not stop myself from grabbing my camera and shooting frame after frame of this delicious little scene. Chastity's little flock was starting to scatter, obviously realizing that their safest bet was getting as far away as possible.

When Chastity finally got her wits about her, she came stomping up to me angrily. "How could you do this to me? I will never live this down." She belatedly realized she'd given me an opening, and I took it gladly.

"Cheer _up_," I said blithely, loving the shit-eating grin on Patrick's face as he watched this play out. "No one at this school will ever forget today. You'll be a legend." At least in her own mind, but I was digressing.

Chastity looked thoughtful. "Maybe so, but that doesn't solve my little problem."

That was the moment when Patrick sauntered over and threaded his arm through mine. "Sure it does. You help Kat with her campaign, and your car is returned to the lot."

She pouted at the thought of helping me with anything. "In _one _piece."

"OK, sure," Patrick said agreeably.

"In perfect running condition." Chastity crossed her arms and effected her best Queen Bee stance.

"Geez, you want everything."

"Patrick," I said with a warning tone.

"Aw, you're spoiling all my fun," he said, tucking some of my wayward hair behind my ear before nodding at Chastity. "You got a deal."

Chastity rolled her eyes. "What does this campaign entail?"

I held up a finger for her to wait and trotted over to my car. Patrick followed me and we both grabbed two armloads of flyers, which we handed over to Chastity and Bianca. "Handing these out to all your friends."

"Is that all?" Chastity said crossly, her bottom lip sticking out at the weight of the flyers.

"For now," Patrick replied.

"Better be." She harumphed before turning on her heel and trotting back into school with Bianca in her wake.

Patrick turned to me with his smirk still in place. "I can't take all the credit. Jess was the mastermind behind this."

I shook hands with his friend, who said he had to jet before the waves died down. He jumped into a truck with a board on the roof and peeled out to the main road. "How do you plan on getting her car down?"

He shrugged. "Depends on when his friends get back."

"But you promised you'd return her car to the lot."

"Yeah, but I didn't say _when_."

"Better make it soon, Chuck."

Patrick looked baffled for a split second, and then a slow grin broke out on his face as he remembered our tiff from the night of the fire. "Only if you curtsy."

"How's this?" I kicked his foot and suddenly realized he had gotten out of helping altogether, and was 40 bucks richer to boot.

"It's a start."

I punched him in the shoulder lightly. "And this?"

"Hmm, I had something else in mind." And with that, Patrick caught me around the waist and pulled me in close. Our lips were inches apart, and all it took was a slight forward movement for our mouths to collide. My teeth clicked against his, and then it got all crazy when his lips slanted against mine, levering me open with deft swipes of his tongue. I nearly swooned when he deepened the kiss, slowing it down to mind-numbing ecstasy broken only by the sound of the last bell ringing. We both came up for air and blinked at each other in wonder.

"Wow, that was..." I started but could not complete my thought with any coherence.

"Yeah, you know, I need more practice. Want to tutor me?"

I shoved against him affectionately. "Don't think you can afford me."

Patrick fished something out of his back pocket and folded two crumpled 20's into my palm. "Oh, but I can."

It was the money I had paid him earlier. "Why?"

He touched the side of my face. "Because that little stunt I just got away with was more than worth the price of admission."


	11. Chapter 11

11

_It's a daily mutilation as I walk along with you  
A daily mutilation and a bludgeoning review  
A daily mutilation and I'd like to see it through  
_  
Daily Mutiliation, Lyrics by the Posies  
[Patrick]

All good things must come to an end, and I was almost sad seeing Chastity's ride come back to Planet Earth, still spackled with God and Country fliers.

I watched the car carrier drive off (it was perfectly level with the auto shop roof) and was so full of glee that I almost missed Bianca running full bore at me. "You need to follow me before someone loses a limb."

It was easy for my longer legs to keep pace with Bianca's, though I could personally attest that the girl was a track star in the making. "Why are we sprinting?" I asked as we reached the stairs and took them two at a time.

"You'll see." Bianca went up yet another flight and we both stopped short at the sight of Kat facing off with Chastity, who was standing close to the railing with a teetering pile of paper.

"You promised to help!" Kat towered over Chastity, and any other person would have run for their lives if Kat skewered them with the hairy eyeball. But this was Chastity, who had more guts than good sense.

"Under threat of having my car jacked," Chastity said, smiling when the breeze lifted a few fliers and sent them soaring into the quad, where they settled down like yesterday's news.

"I had nothing to do with that."

Chastity rolled her eyes. "You were a willing accomplice."

That was certainly true. "You got your car back, didn't you?"

A few more papers flitted away, aided by a nimble swipe of Chastity's fingers. "A full day later, in front of the entire student body."

I could practically see steam rising from Kat as the littering continued. "OK, you win, Chastity. Just give the fliers back and I'll hand them out."

"Nope, I said I would distribute them, and I keep my word." And with that, Chastity spread her arms wide. Laughter spread throughout the quad, and I heard cries of 'it's snowing', and 'the sky is falling' as Kat's campaign was spread to the four winds.

Kat was so angry that she started hyperventilating, choking off what I was sure was a pissed off rant about pollution and the stupid assholes who made it happen. This allowed Chastity to get the last word, and she stuck her knife and twisted. "Nobody watches your stupid show because it sucks. Who wants to watch old people making cow eyes at each other?"

Chastity flashed a triumphant smile, and all Kat could do was sputter as she tried to regain her self-control. I watched all this in silent amusement, because what guy doesn't like watching girls go ten rounds? They are nastier than guys and hold grudges that last ten life times. As Chastity turned away, she failed to see Kat's leg shoot out in her path, which sent her straight at Bianca. They both fell down in a tangled heap of arms and legs, and knocked foreheads when they tried standing up.

This time they'd be out for blood, and I was the only one who could stop this cold. With a sigh, I stepped in between and flat-handed Chastity when she launched herself at Kat. "It ends here," I said in my most menacing tone.

That barely slowed them down, and it was time for stronger measures. With a nod at Bianca, I grabbed Kat's arm and practically dragged her down the hallway. "Walk away," I said softly but firmly, letting her know that I wasn't taking any more crap. Bianca used her superior strength to pull Chastity in the other direction, and the gnashing and wailing was truly something to behold.

"You condone this?" Kat said when she finally recovered her speech, stopping at the door to the quad and staring at the mountains of paper in horror.

I shrugged. "Does it matter what I think?"

She looked at me in disbelief. "Of course it _matters_."

"You got yourself into this. I'm just along for the ride."

Her eyes darkened with ire. "Of course you are, because you don't care about _anything_."

That was debatable, but I wasn't in the mood for jousting. "Maybe not, but we better get moving before Holland sees this mess." I meant to duck and run, but I was supposed to take the higher ground.

Unfortunately, Principal Holland chose that exact moment to show her face, and she spotted us lurking on the sidelines. "You two, my office, NOW."

As Kat skulked at my side with fingers bunched into fists, I whispered, "Look on the bright side."

She looked over at me like I was insane. "Yeah?"

"You and me in those sexy, orange vests."

There was a faint glimmer of a smile as she pretended to stab down. "And don't forget the missing toenail."

"Aw, you wouldn't do that."

"Don't tempt me," Kat said as we entered the office to have our next round of detention handed down.


	12. Chapter 12

12

[Kat]

Picking up trash is no fun, but scooping up two weeks allowance in the form of flier litter really ticked me off. I gritted my teeth as I scooped up paper and cursed under my breath when I ended up with a ton of shallow paper cuts.

This was no way to end my campaign, and I was determined to soldier on.

I watched Patrick from a short distance away, and damn, the boy had no bad angles. No matter whether he flashed that lazy grin or did the bend over thing that made my stomach jump for joy, he was utter perfection -- until he opened his mouth and stuck his foot in.

"So, I guess it's over."

"What is?" I felt my face tighten with tension, wondering if he meant our joint venture (what the hell else could I call it?).

"Your little campaign."

When you put it that way, it sounded petty, and that annoyed me. "_Hardly_. We've only lost the first round."

Patrick snickered at my tone. "Ooh, gearing up for battle, are you?"

"You could say that." I'd been texting back and forth with my gal pals at the PTV boards and we were planning a protest during spring break.

"All this for a guy with no chest hair," Patrick said as he handed me a huge stack of paper.

"Checked him out, did you?" I smiled faintly as I placed another bunch of fliers in a recycling bin.

He stepped in front of me and waggled his brows. "I really dug the wax job. Does that make me a fan boy?"

That quip saved me from gawking at the arresting sight of soft chest hair at his collar. "Maybe, but take it from me, waxing hurts."

Patrick looked me over like he was taking inventory. "Let me guess, upper lip?"

I smacked his arm and smiled when he winced. "It was a gift card from my sister, and they took a layer of skin with the hair."

"Ow, think I'll pass."

"Good thing. It wouldn't suit you."

He leaned against a bench and put his delicious chin on one hand. "So I'm not in competition with that Sully dude?" I caught the flash of vulnerability in his eyes that he quickly masked with a smirk.

"Only in my dreams." It was great fun to watch the play of emotions rippling across his chiseled jaw, but that pleasure was quashed when his gaze caught mine and held it, ensnaring me with that half lidded come hither look from that long ago night at Live Bait. I felt like I was suffocating and started to move away, if only to reclaim my sanity.

"Am I the main feature?" Patrick's soft tone belied the sexual tension stretching like piano wire between us.

"Don't you wish?" I shot back, favoring him with crinkled eyes and a silly smile before returning to my work.

His footsteps sounded behind me and suddenly he parted the hair at the nape of my neck and kissed the spot that drove me insane. I sighed when I felt his tongue start to trace wet circles that ended on my neck, and I wanted nothing more than to feel those lips making love to my mouth. One of his hands rested on my hips and I gasped when he let it slide up to just below my breast. I turned toward him, which was his intented result, and suddenly Patrick was kissing me so voraciously that I dropped my papers and wrapped my arms around his neck. We rotated against each other and I could feel how much he wanted me. When our lips finally parted, he said, "I think my wish just came true.


	13. Chapter 13

13

[Patrick]

I'd like to think I am above jealousy, but the last few days proved I am a slave to the green-eyed monster.

First there was Sully, a made up character played by an actor whose only notable characteristic was the vast, pink expanse of his denuded chest.

He could be Joey Donner, or any one of a faceless horde of guys.

For a day or so, I thought he was someone to worry about, when the real threat existed in plain sight.

Then there was this Blank character, who took me by surprise when he assumed Kat was available and made his move.

And what did I do when she approached me? Told her it was cool to see anyone she wanted, when inside I was see-sawing between _what the fuck_ and _I don't give a damn_.

Only I _did_, full stop.

For a long time, I had a hole in my heart where my Dad used to exist, and nothing that came after him could fill it.

Drugs and booze didn't work, and neither did the seemingly endless string of girls that I plowed through like a machete cutting through silk.

Until she stared me down, challenging me with those chocolate eyes, part and parcel of one very _fine _package.

Everyone gave her a wide berth, but I felt the strands of her web drawing me in tighter and closer until I was ensnared.

Truth be told, Kat had me at 'let's cut to the chase, Hannibal' and nothing gave me pause for thought until Harry Potter appeared on the scene with his plummy accent and high brow 'tude.

When I saw them on that bench laughing, the sexual energy zinged between them.

_Damnit, he sees what I see_.

And that scared the crap out of me.

This guy was a go-getter, and he wouldn't give up till he got what he wanted.

So when movie night rolled around, I bummed a ride off Keith and shadowed them from the balcony.

Christ, they had a freaking picnic? This guy thought of everything. Organic, vegan, and topped with the finest chocolate, no doubt. When he touched her mouth, I was already in motion and watched as they packed up and headed down the main hallway. It was easy to catch up, and even with his ridiculous karate stance, I knew I could wipe the floor with him. But Kat taking off was my signal to end this and take my place at her side.

"Stay away from my girlfriend."

That was a defining moment, and everything changed after that.

[Kat]

Exclusive meant kissing and fondling in public. Every time I turned around, Patrick was there with that cupid's bow mouth and talented hands that disappeared beneath my coat and made me cross-eyed with want.

By parading me around, he avoided the intimacy that I craved in private, wanting to scale his emotional walls and dig beneath the diamond hard surface that he threw in my face at every turn.

But step by step, we moved closer to the point of culmination. Our make-out sessions turned into wild groping and gasping, foreheads banging as we writhed and twisted against one another.

It was on such a night that I decided it was time. His shirt was off and my cleavage was threatening to spill out of a partially unhooked bra and I was wet and wanton and told him I wanted to get tested.

Patrick was unfazed by this request, and when he launched himself at me, his deft fingers made short work of my bra. I will never forget the look on his face when I first exposed myself to him. Breath hissed through his lips and then he took me in his mouth, moving back and forth and tightening my entire body as he played me. When one of his hands stole down my pants, I nearly died when he found my center. Round and round his fingers swirled, helping me ride the wave until my orgasm slammed me into him.

"Damn," I said after a long beat, my back bowed as he continued to suck and lick every inch of my exposed skin. "We can't go on like this," I said thickly.

"Hmmm." His lips vibrated against my throat and I felt his heartbeat thrumming against me. "How about tomorrow?"

I dragged my hands through the mat of hair on his upper chest and followed the treasure trail to his belt line. "Sure," I said, dying to explore beneath the big top.

But it was a school night, and I had to lower the curtain on our little circus.

The hot action distracted me long enough to drive home and sneak through my window, but the depressing reality of cancellation returned when I realized my show ended in two weeks.


	14. Chapter 14

14

[Patrick] 

_Sitting in the back of a car  
music so loud can't tell a thing  
thinking bout what to say  
and I can't find the lines._

Back of a Car, Lyrics by Big Star

I'd never dropped acid, but I suspect that my current technicolor haze was akin to Keith tripping the light fantastic (not the dancing kind).

These feelings...this _whatever _you wanted to call it...was not simple lust.

Sure, lust was part of the picture. How could it not be? I was a hormonally challenged teenage boy, and when a gorgeous girl offered herself like that, you jumped in with both feet.

But twined with her in the back of that car was like an undiscovered country, ready to be plundered by two eager explorers.

Girls may surround me like a cloud of gnats, but I mostly tune them out. And yeah, I've rounded the bases a few times, but nothing even approaches what I had with Kat.

It was like hitting it out of the park -- again and again.

That was why I was willing to do whatever it took to be with her.

So I agreed to the test, filled out the dumb questionnaire, and rolled my eyes at the hokey bachelor pad music.

Kat was a distracting sight as she filled out the form, teeth biting the corner of her mouth as she wrote. "This music is making me hot." It was hard to drag my eyes from her luscious lips, but I managed to ignore my growing desire to yank her into a closet and repeat our fun from last night.

The nurse called me cowboy (only thing I wanted to ride was sitting next to me) and I grabbed my clipboard before Kat could sneak a peek.

It took way longer than expected, because they insisted I practice my non-existent condom skills on an overly ripe banana. It fell apart in my hands, and when I snickered, the nurse huffed impatiently. It took ten tries and four bananas before I gloved up to her satisfaction. My two home runs had been with older women (think, over 25) during one hot summer when my beach forays gave new meaning to the word surf. Pregnancy and statutory rape were not in our vocabulary, and they supplied me with a skill set that served me well with the fairer sex.

Hands-on became my watchword, and not just because I was a mechanical wizard. But it wasn't enough for most girls, because they also expected hearts and flowers and I wasn't down with that.

Until confounding Kat came along and nearly bashed my bike with her car door on that first day, riveting me with her sass and major attitude.

So here we were, arm and arm on our way to her car, condoms (three, I was hopeful) stuffed firmly in my back pocket.

We kissed at every stop light, and got back to PHS all hot and bothered. Kat assaulted me with a toe-curling kiss that telegraphed straight to my fingers, which cupped her hard against me as she opened my mouth with hers. It took all my resolve to break away before saying, "I'll swing by around 8 tomorrow."

_I'm still waiting for them to change the fact-  
That I miss you.  
And that black, motorcycle, wild thing,  
Tattooed on your heart,  
Along with something equal to broken.  
I hope that you know,  
I still want you,_

Made of Broken Glass, Lyrics by Andromeda

[Kat]

First mistake was opening my mouth about the van.

It was clear Patrick had gone to a lot of trouble to impress me, and I made the appropriate noises.

But I was not encouraged by his mobile mattress.

It just wasn't me, and it smacked of clandestine activities and the type of sneaking around that got me grounded.

None of that left my head, but alarm bells clanged when he talked about 'getting' me. I already believed he had a harem on the side, and I wasn't about to join their numbers.

Second mistake was overreacting to a few simple words.

It went rapidly downhill from there, with me earning gold medal status in jumping to conclusions _and _saying the wrong thing.

_Just because I want to have sex doesn't mean I should, certainly not with you._

It was bad enough that I doubted him, but I was completely out of line when I made cutting remarks about him and Keith.

He drove me home at record speed, and hasn't spoken to me in a week. And what did I do? Wallowed in self-pity with my music and Haagen Daaz to keep me company.

I looked at the pile of music Patrick had given me, and shoved Grizzly Bear and Mew into the back of my sock drawer. On one of his nocturnal visits, he'd thrown out a tidbit about playing cello, but clammed up when I tried to find out more. But it was there in the music, and I often heard low, throbbing cello tones perforating the dense cacophony of atonal rhythms and Brian Wilson crooning that studded his mix tapes. Hearing it now cut me to the quick, so I rotated between Hole and PJ Harvey until my sister stole the power cable to my stereo. I migrated to my iPod and had Andromeda on repeat for the next few days.

_Actions speak louder than words._

That was the truth. People could say whatever they wanted, but it meant nothing until they acted on it.

And there was Patrick, going all out (for him) by cleaning and decorating Keith's van.

_Trust has to be part of the equation._

He was starting to open up to me, but it had to be a two-way street. Instead of talking to him about Mr. Ohio, I threw up my walls and shut him down.

I wanted to trust him, but how could I show him that?

_Tell him the truth about Josh.  
_  
It was Sunday night, and I was determined to head him off at his locker first thing tomorrow and straighten out this mess.

*****  
[Patrick]

There's a reason why I'm a loner. I suck at small talk, and always manage to say the wrong thing.

_You have a rich inner life, Pat._

That little nugget came from Rachel, who I'd been calling for days with no response.

It depressed me, for she had always been the one who remembered birthdays and Christmas after Dad died.

On one occasion, she'd snuck me out for a big steak dinner and had folded a large wad of cash into my palm.

"I can't accept this."

Her answering smile was so much like Dad's that I nearly lost it right there. "Sure you can."

We'd wrangled back and forth and finally she said, "Save it for when you need it most."

And so I kept it hidden underneath my floorboards, occasionally taking out my Dad's old wooden box and counting it out. It almost became a ritual, where I'd take out the box and look at the photo of us at the zoo, a larger version of the one I kept in my keychain.

This all ran through my mind late on Sunday night as I worked on Jess's car. He was hanging with me and we talked about the Padres, music, some girl he was sweet on, and finally came around to the one subject I wanted to avoid.

"So how did your big date go?"

"It didn't." My derisive snort only made him more curious.

Jess laughed. "Tell Uncle Jess all about it."

I tossed a spanner in his general direction and ducked when it came flying back at me. "Hey, you want this carburetor fixed anytime soon?"

He shrugged. "I have all night. What about you?"

Before Saturday night, I would have headed straight to Kat's house and hung out until Wally kicked me out. "Yeah," I said with little enthusiasm.

Jess came around to the front of his car. "Tell me what you said to piss her off."

"Could we _not _talk about this right now?"

"You have to tell _somebody_, dude."

"I do. It's called therapy." My voice was sharper than I intended and I hung my head for a second. "Sorry, I haven't been sleeping well."

"Really? Never would have guessed."

I straightened up and wiped my face with one sleeve. "I tried opening up to her, but it backfired."

"Do tell."

"You remember that staring contest? Well, I told her I knew I would get her from the first moment we faced off."

"_Get _her?" Jess echoed with a raised brow.

"Uh-huh." I picked up the spanner wrench and returned it to my toolbox.

"Way to go, Verona. Anything else I should know?"

There was nothing to hide me from his scrutiny so I just blurted it out. "I told her she talked too much."

Jess cracked up. "Of course you did, Mr. Romance."

In frustration, I threw down the rag I'd been holding and scrubbed my fingers through my tangled mop of curls. "What should I do?"

He leaned against the wall and ran his fingers along the satin finish of his car. "You like this girl, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, so?"

Jess let the car antenna quiver between his fingers. "Have you told her that?"

"Well, sure." I was slightly confused by his question, because I'd shown Kat with my actions that she was the one for me.

"In those _exact _words?"

"Well...I'm not sure. I told her I liked that she was a take charge kind of girl."

Jess sighed. "Is that all?"

I wanted to kick something, but refrained from taking it out on Jess or his car. "Look, I went all out for this. i went to the clinic and got tested for STDs, even subjected myself to putting condoms on a banana. I twisted Keith's arm, and paid him money to borrow his van."

"And?"

"And what? It should be obvious that I like her."

"Ah, so this girl is also a psychic."

"Her name is Kat, remember?"

"Yeah, do you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have you tried talking to her since it happened?"

I shook my head. "What's the point? She's already convinced I'm a player, and nothing I can do will convince her otherwise."

"_Really_? Never would have pegged you as a quitter."

"I'm _not_," I said hotly.

"Says the guy who didn't get laid," Jess pointed out helpfully.

"So what am I supposed to do?" My phone chose that moment to ring and when I took it out, Kat's name came up on the display.

"Pick up the phone," Jess suggested wryly, before making a face when I chickened out and clicked the Ignore button. "Now _that's_ dealing with the issue, dude."

I set my phone to Silent before shoving it in my pocket. "I'll deal. Can we just finish your carburetor already?"

And that was the coda to my weekend, which ended with me sleeping in the back of Keith's van. As I looked around and smelled the remains of Keith's hash pipe, it was like nothing had gone down here between me and Kat. But that bubble burst when I found one of her bracelets tucked under a seat cushion.

It went into my pocket, and I steeled myself for the inevitable encounter with Kat when I returned it. My resolve to correct this lasted right to the point where Lissa introduced me to her skanky friend Wendy and whispered she heard I was on the market again. I bared my teeth and flashed my pearly whites at Wendy, who thrust her hips into that peculiar stance models use on every magazine cover. My mouth opened to comment on this, but it snapped close when I saw Kat across the courtyard, taking in the tableau with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. I raised my hand to flag her down and save me from the clutches of this 'ho, but she was already flying off in the opposite direction.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Note: Yes, I know this is short, but the last chapter was long. Enjoy!

[Kat]

I am convinced that Monday mornings should be erased from existence.

God and Country was cancelled on a Monday.

And on this particular Monday, the entire school saw Patrick Verona toss me aside like yesterday's trash.

That brain-dead girl Lissa passed me with a smug smile and I wanted to fry her on the spot.

But alas, I was not equipped with superhuman powers, so I resorted to ducking out of there as fast as my legs would take me.

Before I turned toward homeroom, I checked the hall behind me and there was no sign of him.

So, it appeared he really _had _moved on.

Should I do the same?

Given my limited choices at PHS and my lousy track record, it wasn't high on my list.

As predicted, the rest of the day sucked the big one. I managed to avoid Patrick for most of it, but that changed at the final bell.

When I got to the parking lot, I saw him sittting on my car with folded arms.

It was do or die time, so I might as well throw myself into the fire while I still had some pride left.

I approached warily and stopped a few feet away. "Get off my car." My voice was quiet, but he straightened slightly at my tone.

"We need to talk." Patrick was just as resolute, and he wasn't budging from his perch on my hood.

It would be so easy to fall into our sexy banter, but the only game that interested me was serving up Hannibal's head on Clarice's table. "About?"

"That girl you saw means nothing to me."

I feigned indifference. "Good for you. Now, do you mind? I'd rather not have your blood splattered all over my windshield."

"Aha, so you _do _care." He flashed his sexy smirk before hopping down and approaching the passenger door.

"Past tense." His smile slipped a notch as I got in. "Get out."

His hand snaked out and grabbed my keys from inside my pocket. "Nope. We're not going anywhere until we have it out."

I wanted to bang my head against the steering wheel. "After I cut you to pieces with my tongue, there won't be anything left to say."

Patrick touched my arm. "Then let me do the talking for a change."


	16. Chapter 16

16

AN: Show's over, folks. Time to move on. Seriously, when Carter said it was done, I knew there was no chance. And now that two cast members have been cast elsewhere, it is highly unlikely they would return. Same goes for me. I might have one other story in me after this one, but my fanfic ship has sailed. Time to focus on my original fantasy novel that I have been putting off for too long. If anyone wants to keep in touch about fanfic, fandom, or music, drop me a PM. Cheers. It's been a fun ride while it lasted.

[Patrick]

"You know I suck at this."

"Uh-huh."

"My therapist says I have intimacy and trust issues."

"It must be catching." I waited for her to put the spotlight back on herself, but she remained quiet and thoughtful.

"About what I said...I was joking."

"Which part?" This was where her sarcasm usually took over, but it was strangely absent.

"Umm, where I said you talked too much?"

She sighed. "That was kind of a buzzkill."

"So was your crack about me and Keith."

Kat looked down at her hands on the wheel. "I thought you were using me."

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Her dark eyes flashed with hurt. "Not about this."

"You really believe I have a dozen girls on the side?" Yeah, this was completely my fault for letting things slide.

"More like two dozen, but who's counting?"

Now this was more like it. I could deal with the sarcasm; it was the up close and personal crap that made me cringe. "I thought you knew me better than that."

Kat's laugh sputtered like hot bacon grease. "Are you serious? You're not exactly Mr. Open Book."

"I know. It's just...there hasn't been anyone to listen in a long time."

"What about Roy?"

My therapist didn't count. "Your name hasn't come up."

Kat made a face. "Good to know."

I reached over and touched the top of her hand. "It's not like that."

"Then enlighten me."

Kat didn't pull away, so I forged on. "I talk about..._Dick_, and how much I hate him."

"Who?"

"Asshole boyfriend."

Her fingertip touched mine. "That bites."

I wrapped my finger around hers. "Jerk ran over my bike."

"_What_?" Kat was outraged, and I felt her body go stiff with anger. Maybe I should let her loose on Dick and watch the fur fly. "Tell me you called the cops."

"Can't prove it. There's not a mark on his truck." And believe me, I had checked.

"Any witnesses?"

I thought about Mrs. Laramie, but she hated me almost as much as Dick and his monster truck. "Nobody important."

"How can I help?" Her question was in earnest, but she was in no position to help.

"Short of taking up a collection for the Deep Faced Man Boy cause? Not a thing."

Kat rolled her eyes. "You overheard that one, huh?"

"Naw, that's my Twitter handle." A reluctant smile lit up her face and I laughed. "Maybe I should hit my followers up for donations. I could have a new Honda in no time."

"Huh. Think of all the mole rats I could have saved." She snapped her fingers and we shared a rare smile.

Just to stir the pot, I asked, "Are we good?"

"Not even close."

[Kat]

I lived for his banter. Every day when I got to my locker, Patrick was there waiting with his latest verbal volley. And oh, how we clashed, but both sides knew it was in good humor.

Until it _wasn't_, and nothing could take back the words we'd lobbed like unholy hand grenades.

"Did you mean it?" Patrick asked after a long, uncomfortable pause.

I could take that so many ways, but I said, "What?"

"When you said you cared about me."

Wow, that was straight to the point. "Yeah, I do."

"Why?" A bit of wounded puppy pierced through his nearly impenetrable gaze.

Well, two could play twenty questions. "Why _not_?" I said with a shrug.

That earned me a slightly raised brow. "Care to elaborate?"

Now _this _was interesting. "I want you, I need you. Ooh, baby."

Patrick snickered. "And you know a good line when you steal one."

He deserved an answer, but I had to keep it light. "Well, you definitely _weren't_ raised by wolves."

"What, no Romulus and Remus in my family tree? I'm devastated."

"Better not let on that you've graduated from hooked on phonics." I favored him with a smile, and a ghost of a grin glanced his lips.

"Only one thing I'm hooked on," Patrick said, looking at me so intensely that I think my heart skipped a few beats.

"Really, what's that?" Might as well ask him to spell it out.

Patrick tucked a wayward strand of my hair behind one ear and cupped my face with his free hand. "You know the answer to that." He leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth. I closed my eyes as his lips drifted along my jaw to my ear, where he sent me swooning with quick flicks of his tongue.

"Yeah," I said as if in a daze. "Forgive me?"

His beautiful, umber eyes radiated an answer back at me with a force that made me loopy with lust. "Already done."

"Should we try again?" We both knew what I was referring to, and it hung between us like the proverbial brass ring.

"Only if you're ready," Patrick said gently.

"Soon." I spotted Bianca streaming toward us and guessed that Mr. Ohio would have to wait for another day.

"Good, 'cuz those condoms are burning a hole in my pocket."

I swatted him arm and Patrick paid me back with a kiss on the cheek. He got out of the car and just before my sister arrived, he sent me off with, "Just for the record, I care about you too."


	17. Chapter 17

17

[Patrick]

Note: FFnet will not let me put in multiple exclamation points, so that is why there is only one in each line below.

Kat smiled faintly as I wrenched open the passenger door for Bianca, who smiled brightly and said, "Glad to see you two are talking again."

"He was grunting, I was emoting." That was obviously my send-off, but after turning on the engine, Kat called, "Sure you don't need a ride?"

Jess was taking me to the therapist's today. "Nope. All set."

She started to back up the car and that's when I remembered the bracelet. I held up one hand and Kat cocked her head curiously as I strode over. Placing the bracelet squarely in her palm, I said, "You only took that off for one reason."

Instantly getting the movie reference, Kat tapped her head. "Don't forget the hat."

I smirked as she waved and drove off with her sister chattering at light speed about Joey Donner. A few minutes later, Jess showed up right on schedule and gave me heck from the moment I got in. "You two still on mute?"

"Not anymore."

We came to a stop light and he searched my face. "So you told her, right?"

"Sure." Telling her I cared was a big deal for me.

Jess muttered at my one word answer and stepped on the gas. "No dancing around the issue?"

I shook my head. "Not this time."

He scrubbed one hand through his sandy blonde hair and looked at me dubiously. "How about hemming and hawing?"

"Do I look like a donkey?"

"Hmm, shaggy brown hair? Check. Brown eyes? Check."

"You're hilarious. You can drop me at the corner."

Jess stopped the car at the curb. "Want me back here in an hour?"

"Yeah, that works." I double-tapped his hood and made my way up the stairs to tell Roy the latest dope on Dickwad and my lack of wheels.

[Kat]

I logged onto my laptop and was immediately flooded with a dozen, desperate e-mails from my online bff, Trish.

PTV SUCKS !

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING !

By the time my eyes pole-vaulted over a thousand or so exclamation points (why use 1 when a million works so much better), hot pink letters, and ALL CAPS, my brain started to hurt.

_How do I get myself into these things?  
_  
The producers and writers were all telling us to move on.  
_  
How's that working for you?_

I could still hear Bianca snickering about that one, before she launched into a complaint session about Joey cozying up to some bimbo on reality TV.

_None _of it was working.

I'd been so preoccupied with Patrick that I'd neglected my virtual pals, skipping their fervent bulletin board posts and incessant requests to retweet #savegodandcountry. When I finally caught up, I was more depressed than ever. It was like I'd been forcibly ripped from Dreamland and doused with acid.

So many PMs blinked at me that I was convinced Big Brother was looking back at me. One accused me of complacency, another asked how dare I call myself an activist when I hadn't logged on in a week. The guilt over that subsided when a large number accused me of being lazy and unmotivated.

The final one from Heather challenged me to put my money where my mouth was.

_Show up at PTV corporate offices in San Francisco, next Friday at 10. We have to make them see the errors of their ways, and what better method than a unified, in-person protest?_

They were staging it during spring break, so no one could use the 'I can't cut classes' excuse.

Maybe I had better things to do than spend spring break with a bunch of strangers, but what the hell?

The words _road trip_ painted themselves in my mind, and I grew absurdly excited at the thought of escaping from Dad and Bianca for a few days.

Even better, the school was sponsoring a class trip to SF, with most expenses covered by local philanthropists.

I had two days to work on Dad, and throw in my lot with student council gits like Tabitha Cook.

With a grin, I PMed Heather with a long line of upturned thumbs.

_It's a go._


	18. Chapter 18

18

[Patrick]

Roy wasn't letting anything get past him. "So you finally admit you have a girlfriend. That's real progress."

"Is it?" I shunted the question back at him, using the same technique I'd learned from many sessions with him.

"You tell me." Roy knew better than to take notes during our 50 minutes, but he'd scribble like mad as soon as I left.

The ball was again in my court. "We-ell, her name is Kat."

"You told me that already. What's she like?"

"Umm, she's cool."

"Meaning, she likes the same music as you?"

I made a face. "That's stretching it a bit."

"What, she's not into contrapuntal space jams? I'm _shocked_."

Roy and I understood each other just fine. With a small shrug, I said, "She tolerates it."

"Just like you tolerate Meatless Mondays."

"_Exactly_."

"Ah, the art of compromise. I like it." Roy paused to swig some water before turning back to me. "So you two finally made up?"

I'd lied to Kat when I said her name never came up. "For now."

Roy nodded. "These fights take a lot out of you."

"Yeah." It seemed like I lost a piece of my soul with every battle.

"But she must be worth it."

We both knew I was in way over my head. "God, yes." Every aspect of Kat was breathtaking, from 'hell hath no fury' facing off with me at her party, to the nearly naked, panting vixen in her back seat. So close, and yet so far away at times.

"Think you'll end up together?"

"Together _how_?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "You _know _what I'm asking."

I could be blunt with this guy, so I laid it out for him. "Do I think we'll have sex? Definitely yes."

"You need that emotional connection," Roy said evenly.

"Of course." I've craved that connection since I first laid eyes on her.

"But will your story have a happy ending?" Roy was interested in how _I _perceived the situation.

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"You don't sound like you believe it."

Part of me believed I deserved every bad thing that happened to me. "Well, her and me...it's _complicated_."

Roy threw back his head and laughed. "Sure it is. What happens next?"

"We'll talk some more about our trust issues."

He tapped his pen and nodded in agreement. "We have ten more minutes. Tell me about Rachel."

That was a thornier topic, one I'd left to the end. "She hasn't called me back."

"Is that normal for her?"

"Dunno. Haven't talked to her in over a year."

"So the phone's not working for you. How about e-mail?"

"Same thing. No answer."

"Hmm, here's a thought. How about visiting her?"

"All the way up in Half Moon Bay?"

"Sure, why not? You have cash. Go for it."

"Bus is the only way up there. Well, that, and hitchhiking."

"See? There are all sorts of possibilities. Maybe your girlfriend can give you a ride."

And that's when I remembered the poster advertising the student council sponsored trip to San Francisco. "Maybe she can," I said with a smile. "Thanks, dude."

I tossed him a ten and was still grinning like a Cheshire cat when Jess screeched up to the curb with an impatient, "C'mon, those rollers won't last forever." And off we rode to the coast to blow off some steam and ride the waves.


	19. Chapter 19

19

Note: Yes, I changed the story name again. I did not intend to, but my writing tends to be organic, and I think of things I want to add along the writing journey. I always have a framework in place, but plot points often drop into my lap. This story is superficially about Kat losing a favorite show, but the larger part of it deals with Patrick's problems at home. And something will happen later in the story that supports the updated story title.

[Kat]

"First it was Nepal, now it's the world."

"Dad, we're talking about a week, not a century."

He stood with hands on hips and then his eyes lit up. "Is that deep-voiced man boy going?"

I sighed. "_Patrick _has nothing to do with this."

Bianca made devil's horns behind Dad's head before resuming her innocent face. "And don't forget, I have cheer leading camp at San Diego State."

Dad held up his hands as if to beg. "My two girls can't abandon me in my time of need."

That earned him an eye roll and a snicker. "Are you kidding me? Miss Tharp will have a _lot _of time on her hands."

His face brightened immediately. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you were too busy being a Dad."

"Imagine that," he said dryly. "How much will this boondoggle set me back?"

"Two hundred bucks covers hotels, transportation, and three squares." It sounded like a seriously sweet deal, even if I was forced to endure Blank and Tabitha Cook patting themselves on the back for their recent sweep of the student council elections.

"That's a bargain," Dad said, casting a sideways glance at Bianca, whose camp cost at least four figures. "Where do I sign?"

I produced the paperwork and he signed with a flourish. "Thanks, Dad."

"I expect lots of photos, and twice daily phone calls."

"Seriously, Dad? Once a day tops." I'd been on a few of these trips, and they were always jam-packed with activities.

"Very well, but I expect a full report on your return."

**Note**: This section is rated M. It is not as explicit as some of the M rated stories on here, but I think it bears the rating. We know Katrick will have sex, and maybe it should have been on the trip I have planned for them (yes, that is still in the works, and shall prove important to Patrick), but I did not want that to be the point of the trip. So it is here instead. I do not expect the rest of the material to be as...ahem...detailed as this instance.

_Halfway through  
Fly there to  
Will you go?  
It's a nice way I think to wake up with you_

_Eight Flew Over, One was Destroyed  
Lyrics by Mew, from the album Frengers_

[Patrick]

I usually tapped twice on her window to gain entry, but today I arrived to find Kat dressed only in her birthday suit.

Her large, luscious breasts were reflected in the full length mirror, and she was a fine, long drink of water to my parched senses.

She was brushing her hair with half closed eyes, and even those simple movements were beyond sensual.

I knocked on the window and grinned at how fast she wrapped herself in her robe and effected the scowl she saved for these special occasions. "How long were you there?"

"Long enough," I said with a mock leer.

"Pervert."

"Minx." I wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her to me gently. "That was a nice look on you. I'd like to see more of it."

Kat wrapped her arms around my neck. "Yeah? I bet you would."

I planted a soft kiss on her pouting lips and pulled back before she could deepen it. With a tiny whine of protest, she stood up on tiptoe and licked the perimeter of my mouth. Her talented lips slanted across mine and I finally surrendered to the pressure. My fingers played with the knot on her robe and it loosened as we kissed, finally unraveling completely when my legs hit her bed.

Kat pushed me backward and the movement opened her robe and completely exposed her to me. For a long moment, I stared up at her dark beauty and when she swooped down to claim another kiss, I slid the robe off her shoulders and watched it pool at our feet in a cloud of silk. Kat kissed my neck and worked her fingers under my shirt. She tangled her fingers in my chest hair and paid special attention to my pecs, licking and tasting her way up before pulling the shirt over my head. With an impatient growl, I pulled her into my lap and ground myself against her as she unbuckled and tossed my belt into the growing pile of clothes.

"Tonight's the night," she murmured in my ear. "You up for it?"

A quick unzip unfurled my hardened length and I sighed in pleasure when her hot fingers curled around me. "Mmm hmm."

Kat's other hand slid down my back and into my loosened pants. I gasped when she cupped my ass and squeezed it in time to my thrusting tongue. When the pressure became unbearable, I reared back and laughed as she dragged my jeans off my body with an almost maniacal glee. Then she came sliding all the way up my length and straddled me, her strong legs surrounding me as I gently thrust into her.

Her eyes flew open wide when I pushed all the way in, and she chewed on her lip as I slid out slowly, letting her savor the feel of me. "OK?" I whispered, wetting one palm and sliding it across both breasts.

She hissed and dragged my head to her chest, where I rolled and twisted each peak until she growled. With a grin, I grabbed the cheeks of her ass and started rotating my hips, thrusting deeper and harder with each movement. Kat wanted all of me, and I stopped holding back. I could feel how close we both were, but I wanted her to explode first, so I put the heel of my hand against her and pressed with each thrust. She bit into my shoulder as the orgasm shook us both like the leaves on a tree, and then her eyes rolled back when a second one slammed into her. That spasming sent me over the edge and I cried her name hoarsely as I pounded at her. The waves finally subsided and we collapsed in a sweaty sea of arms and legs.


	20. Chapter 20

20

_While you sleep  
coiled up like a spring  
I remember everything  
from the first day_

_While you sleep, lyrics by the Mutton Birds_

Note: The Mutton Birds are an amazing New Zealand band whose albums are hard to find and insanely expensive. This particular song is a love song, and I wanted to include a snippet here. If anyone wants to hear it, drop me a PM with your email addy.

[Kat]  
Comfortable silence was a foreign concept when your mind was always careening off the rails.

But it existed between us, here and now.

Our bodies were coated with the sweaty afterglow of energetic sex, ambient light leaking around the blinds and dotting us both with citrine and amber.

Patrick broke through our mutual reverie. "Wow, that was fun."

I giggled and made an affirmative sound, which widened his smile even more.

We stared at each other in bemused wonder, and my fear was partially silenced by the warm intensity of his sherry gaze. He seemed to sense my unease and kissed me softly before returning to our staring contest.

My fears weren't completely assuaged, so I leaned my head on one elbow and looked down at him. "Can I ask you a favor?"

He mirrored me and came up to my level. With a slight mmm of acknowledgment, he waited for my big revelation with the type of patience that normally escaped me.

"Don't break my heart, OK?"

"OK," Patrick said seriously, his eyes searching my face before he added, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Are you going on the class trip to San Francisco?"

"Yeah, why?" I tried to hide my disappointment, but Patrick picked up on it and laid his hand on my shoulder.

"I need a lift to Half Moon Bay to visit my aunt."

And of course, he wouldn't be caught dead on the bus with a bunch of old ladies undressing him with their eyes. "And you thought you'd borrow my car while I was gone?"

"Something like that," Patrick said with a tentative smile.

"My Dad will never go for it." And I wasn't too cool with the idea either.

"So don't tell him," Patrick said with a casual shrug as he sat up.

I gathered the sheet and held it up to my chest. "You're kidding, right? If he finds out, I'm grounded for life, not to mention what he'll do to you."

"I'll take my chances." Patrick leaned back against the headboard and stretched his arms over his head, a move that was designed to melt me into a puddle of instant goo.

God knows I wanted to help him, but at what cost? "So you'll be gone for how long, a week?"

Patrick nodded. "That's the plan, except…" His words faltered as uncertainty weighed down his tongue again.

"What?" I urged him on by returning his earlier gesture and touching his well-muscled shoulder.

"I want you to come with me."

My mouth opened and closed and I'd be in fly catching mode if I didn't say something. "_Really_?"

There was no hesitation this time. "Yeah."

"Huh," I said, considering his offer while my heart was doing back handsprings. "So, road trip?"

Patrick flashed me an exuberant grin that nearly incinerated me on the spot. As I felt heat coursing through me like a fever, he whispered, "You know you wanna."

That ignited things to a roaring fire that led to the kind of slow, searing sex that curled toes and went down in the memory books as the best ever. When he shattered me yet again, I lay curled against him, my head resting on his chest with his strong arms surrounding me like an oasis.

[Kat]

I don't know what came over me last night. Temporary insanity?

All rational thought flew away when he came through my window, and every good intention about our first time being in a place far away from my Dad's pointing finger was gone when he kissed me.

Both of us still had issues, and they weren't going away anytime soon. But none of that seemed to matter in the early morning light, limning Patrick's sleeping form with a golden halo. His face was relaxed, and his long, cinnamon eyelashes fluttered with REM sleep.

Even in repose, he gave nothing away.

I hated to wake him, but Dad would be up soon, and he'd lock me in the tower forever and shave me bald if he caught Patrick in bed with me.

With a smile, I touched his chest and caressed my way down to his navel. He cracked open an eye and growled at me. "You've gotta be kidding me."

I pointed at the clock and made a face. "It's time to exit stage left."

"But third time's a charm," Patrick said with a sleepy smile, rising up from the covers like Neptune and stretching his nude body like I wasn't internally panting for more.

I let the covers fall away from me and smiled at the scorching look he gave me. "Oh, I dunno, the second time was pretty amazing."

Patrick snaked one arm around me and pulled me into his lap. "It will only get better."

"Mmm." I looked up at his sleep tousled hair and raked one hand slowly through, massaging his scalp gently and smiling when his eyes closed in pure pleasure. "I need convincing."

His lips collided with mine and forced open my mouth. From there, he kissed me slowly and wetly, mimicking the love act as his tongue dueled with mine. I groaned deep in my throat when he lowered his hand and parted my legs. Part of me knew I should say no, but how could I resist the swirl of his thumb against me? Going with the flow quickly sent me over the edge, writhing and moaning Patrick's name as I collapsed against him. With a grin, Patrick said, "Convinced?"

"Mmm hmm." I watched him get dressed and pouted when he pulled his T-shirt on and buckled his pants.

It was a real shame to cover such a gorgeous body with clothes, but I was positive we'd have a lot more time to explore one another on our upcoming road trip. Just before he climbed through the window, I announced, "I wanna."

Patrick looked a bit dazed and confused, his mouth swollen from all our kissing. "Huh?"

"Go with you."

His eyes sparkled with pleasure. "Cool. Should we meet up later to plot our course?"

"Back to my bed?" I joked.

"Sure."

Our parting kiss was slow and passionate and left us both wanting a lot more. "See you at school," I said, watching as he shimmied down the trellis and suddenly realizing we'd gone 12 full hours without an argument.


	21. Chapter 21

21

[Patrick]

Lauren (aka Mom) and Dick were gone for the day, which made it easy to pack my gear. My cello was padlocked in my closet, and I doubt anyone remembered that I still played. My music collection was also under lock and key, and all that remained was my battered collection of books. There was nothing of value, and I could easily find stuff at the library if I had to. I'd called Jess with specific instructions to come get my stuff when the Glimmer Twins were out partying at their crack house. He knew their habits almost as well as me, and he wouldn't let me down.

I retrieved my special box from under the floorboards and packed it away in my duffel bag. The money was tucked away in my pocket, and anyone who wanted it would have to get through me. I'd saved every bit of Aunt Rachel's generous gifts to me through the years, and now I could operate on my own for a long while if it came to that.

Every one of my photos also went in the bag, and I was halfway down the stairs before I realized what this all meant.

_I was leaving for good._

This was the house I grew up in, and up through my tenth year, the memories were mostly good. I scanned the living room for maybe the last time and stopped at the sight of a baseball. I'd caught that foul ball and had it personally signed by Trevor Hoffman, perhaps the best player ever for the Padres. That had been the best day of my life, and the last outing I had with Dad, who was killed a few days later by a hit and run driver. I picked up the ball and tossed it up a few times before tucking it in my coat pocket. One last look told me there was nothing left for me here.

I stepped out onto the porch and flagged down Keith, who was parked across the street. He walked slowly across the lawn and grabbed my backpack, while I shouldered my duffel and followed him to the van. "You carrying rocks in here, Verona?"

"Yeah, practicing up for my time in the joint."

I looked back at the house and realized I had one last piece of unfinished business. "You busy tonight?"

"Depends. What you got in mind?"

"You'll see." It was better to keep him in the dark.

"Cool. High school parking lot or beach?"

"Dog Beach. Say around 11?"

"Will do. Let's jet, or we'll miss the first bell."

[Kat]

_a broken soul stares from a pair of watering eyes,  
uncertain emotions force an uncertain smile..._

_Uncertain Smile, Lyrics by TheThe_

Dad was right about me. Since meeting Patrick, I'd fallen into a pattern of lying and deception.

I'd always been the straight arrow, sure and true. The one people could count on, always known for my brutal honesty and conviction.

But not this time.

The permission slip and Dad's check burned me with shame that lasted right until I tore them up and tossed them in the dumpster.

With a sigh, I drove around to my usual parking space, where Patrick waited with crossed arms and a crooked grin.

I flashed an uncertain smile, still not sure I was doing this for the right reasons.

_You want to be with him._

Well, duh...who _wouldn't_? I mean, Hannibal aside, have you seen the guy? He is Stud personified, with all the extras, and a fine mind going to waste. Yeah, I knew he tried to hide that part by talking rough, but I saw glimmers every now and again that he was off the charts smart. I knew it completely when he shyly revealed that he dabbled in cello, and there was no changing my mind after that.

_You want to help him._

Patrick was vulnerable, and one of the walking wounded. It flashed in his eyes when his key chain went missing, and it showed up again when he caught me spying on him. Little by little, he was letting me in, and I wasn't about to turn my back on that. Him inviting me on this junket was a huge leap in trust for him, and I wouldn't let him down.

We hugged and he buried his face in my hair. Were he one of those emo dudes, he would have waxed poetic about how good I smelled. But his fingers twining around my braid told the whole story. It was there in his actions, just as it always was.

I put my arm around his waist and said, "Here's a plan for you. We tell our families we're going on this trip, and follow our own agenda."

Patrick stopped me at the door to the quad. "You're down with this?" he asked, disbelief crowding out the joy on his face.

He needed hope right now. "Yeah, sure."

"Really? So you'd lie to your Dad...for _me_."

"Like I said..." I needed to make him believe it, so I answered with some major lip action.

He pulled away slightly and touched my face with a huge grin. "This is better than a shutout at Petco Park."

His smile was infectious and we walked arm in arm into school, sailing past Tabitha Cook's punchable face standing next to Mr. Toga himself, Blank Slate.

I muttered, "Cute couple. I give them a week."

"Naw, more like an hour. She'll cut off his balls and eat him for breakfast."

"You speaking from personal experience?" The mock horror on Patrick's face made me giggle, and we bumped fists before heading off to our first class.  
*****


	22. Chapter 22

22

[Patrick]

_You're special  
You're like rocket through me_

_Special, Lyrics by Mew, from the album And The Glass Handed Kites_

I packed several cups of sand into a jar and waited on the sea wall. The night breeze lifted my hair from my collar, and I stretched out my legs and enjoyed my brief respite before I launched my career as a petty criminal.

Keith arrived a quarter hour late, but 15 minutes in either direction made no difference.

"Sand?"

I pointed and said, "Beach."

"Gotcha. So, the sand is different in Half Moon Bay?" Keith asked.

"Nope."

"Think you might get homesick?"

"Could be." Kat's lovely face looming over me as we made love flitted into my mind, and I itched to be back in her arms.

We rounded the corner of my street, and Dick's fugly Ford truck was parked diagonally at the end of the driveway. "Drop me here and come back in ten," I said as Keith rolled to a stop and let me out.

His gas cap was on the street side, which shielded me from sight. By now, Lauren and Dickhead would be passed out, so I expected little or no resistance. I smirked when I cranked open the gas tank door and saw his cap was missing. In short order, I shoveled in a bunch of sand and closed the door without so much as a peep.

It was done.

I jogged away from the tiny cape that had served as my home quarters for 17 years, and jumped in Keith's van when he resurfaced at the next intersection.

"You crashing in the van tonight?"

Not if I could help it. "Don't think so. Last I checked, the Dalai Mama and I were still on speaking terms."

Keith snickered. "Must be a new world record."

"Yeah." I thought about our upcoming road trip, and if we got through that, we could survive anything.

"Here you go."

Her light was still on, and the open window beckoned me.

No sooner did I slip through than Kat was on me, hugging me wordlessly. We enveloped each other and exchanged soul searing kisses that could only end in one place.

[Kat]

Patrick was right. The fantastic sex we'd had last night was easily eclipsed by tonight's romp in the sack. Two passionate forces collided and nearly went supernova in my childhood bed, and I had clearly graduated to the big leagues.

We went at it all night, and only slept in the final hour before the alarm went off. I wasn't sure where I ended and he started, but I didn't care. In the few moments we had before he made himself scarce, we were still joined. Our hands were threaded together and he kissed me so thoroughly that I lost my ability to breathe.

"You sure about this?" Patrick played with my hair while he looked down at me in the post coital haze.

My stuff was packed and ready to load into the Volvo. Thinking back to our earlier escape from the asylum, I said, "No, but I'm doing it."

Laughter tumbled out of him unexpectedly and the vibration sent us both buzzing.

"I better go."

I made a disappointed sound as he rolled out of bed and got dressed. Patrick kissed my cheek before slipping away and whispered, "See you in an hour."


	23. Chapter 23

23

[Kat]

I hugged my Dad hard and hid my lying eyes from him.

He could sniff out a lie in a second, so my sunglasses were already in place. "Tell me the rules again."

"No boys in my room."

"Excellent, what else?"

"No drinking."

"Check. And finally?"

"Listen to our chaperones."

"Great. And how often should you call home?"

"At least once a day."

"That's my little cactus. Have a safe trip."

Bianca made a face behind Dad's back as I headed out, which meant she knew something was up. I got into the car and waved at my Dad as I backed out, and again before I pulled away.

I hated deceiving him, but my gut told me I was doing the right thing. Yes, I would be alone with Patrick for long stretches of time, which could be a recipe for disaster, given our track record.

Hot, steamy sex was a bandaid at best, and the perpetual erotic haze that I'd been walking around in could be instantly burned away by one wrong word.

Patrick was waiting near the auto shop, with his usual leaning stance. "All set?"

He smirked. "No time like the present, Jeeves."

[Patrick]

Kat handed me a stack of CDs. "Pick something." She was uncharacteristically silent for the first hour, and I suggested a quick java stop, if only to break the silence.

"Sure."

We found a quaint coffee shop in Oceanside, and I handed a five to the cashier before she could protest. "Should we take it to go?"

"No rush." Kat found us a spot near the window and we watched the parade of cars go by on US 1 as we sipped our coffee. "How far should we drive today?"

I'd done this trip a few times. "Umm, how about San Luis Obispo?"

She shrugged. "OK."

"What's wrong, Kat?" The silent treatment was starting to get to me. "Having second thoughts?"

Kat shook her head. "It's not that."

I searched her face and it suddenly dawned on me. "It's about your Dad."

"You know I hate lying to him."

"Yeah." At least she had someone who cared whether she lied. "Try not to worry. I really don't bite."

"I beg to differ." Kat lifted her hair away from her neck and revealed the hickey I'd given her last night. "Maybe you really are a vampire."

"Oops. I'd apologize, but I think we both know it will happen again."

She stared at my lips with a smoky gaze. "Like I could stop you."

A frisson of excitement shot straight to my groin. "Put me in the driver's seat, and I'll get us there in record time."

We stood up and I put my arm around her as we exited the coffee shop. Before we got to the car, she slipped the keys into my hand and said, "Step on it."  
*****


	24. Chapter 24

24

[Kat]

Reality bites. It really does.

Wanting and getting are often divergent goals.

And unfortunately, lack of sleep catches up with you.

I slept all the way to Santa Barbara, where Patrick roused me in time for a late lunch.

We walked along and read some of the sidewalk menus before deciding to brown bag it.

A quick foray to an overpriced deli netted us some hefty sandwiches, bottled water, and a bag of fruit.

I found us a shady spot in the park and we munched companionably while watching an endless march of humanity.

"So," I said, wiping my hands on a napkin. "This place is pretty nice. Want to play tourist for a few hours, or drive straight to our roach motel?"

Patrick shrugged. "Don't care. Whatever you want."

"Let's walk for awhile." I was feeling amiable after a good sleep and a decent lunch, so maybe I'd talk about Mr. Ohio.

He took my hand and we walked for at least a half mile before he said, "You feeling any better about this trip?"

"Which one?" I threw him a knowing glance before returning my attention to the gorgeous scenery.

Patrick sensed my unease and put his arm around me. "Can't erase your guilt, but I can promise the other trip will be fun."

"Define fun."

He pulled me closer and pushed me gently against the trunk of a giant palm tree. "Mmm, this kind?" His lips touched mine softly, then withdrew so he could watch my face change. My breathing quickened at the way his eyes darkened, and then I closed the gap and returned his kiss, my lips opening automatically to let him in. Patrick seemed content to kiss me for a long time, and it was only when I felt his fingers steal under my shirt that I stopped his hand.

"I get it," I said shakily. "But we will see the outside of our hotel room, right?"

Patrick smirked. "That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you can walk when I get done with you."

His deep tones vibrated in my ear as he kissed my lobe and I shivered. "You're a real one track, Verona."

"And damned proud of it."

I felt that lovely ache in my groin and judging from the way he was shifting his legs, he was hard as a rock. "Yeah, you're a fine upstanding citizen."

Patrick's eyes crinkled as he returned his arm to my waist, his hand resting just below the swell of my breast. "Hmm, how'd you guess?"

I lowered his hand and laughed at his fake scowl. "Save it for later, Chuck."

"Ah, so I've been relegated back to a princely has been."

"Deservedly so."

"Yeah? Even more than that guy from Ohio?"

******  
[Patrick]

Kat' whole body stiffened and I instantly regretted my big mouth - _again_. But she didn't pull away, and after a considering glance, she said, "Not even close."

"Really?" It was better to stick with one word answers or grunts, especially when you were way out of your element.

"Yeah." We found a bench overlooking the water and Kat looked out to sea. "It happened right before I moved here."

The pain in her voice stabbed me and I squeezed her hand with complete empathy. "You thought you'd lose him."

Kat looked at me with wide eyes, obviously surprised that I understood. "He never returned my phone calls, and two days later, he posted photos of himself kissing another girl on Facebook."

I'd heard of low, but this dude should be drowned in a sewer tunnel. "That sucks."

She nodded and looked at her crossed feet. "So you see why I freaked when you talked about getting me, like I was some kind of trophy for your conquest shelf."

I scooted closer to her and reclaimed her hand. "Makes sense."

Kat leaned into me and rested her head on my shoulder. "And don't forget that promise you made."

My hand tangled in her hair as I lifted it away from her neck and kissed her throbbing pulse. Her eyes closed and her breath hissed out when I sucked lightly on that spot. "_Never_."


	25. Chapter 25

25

[Kat]

The roach motel was a nice one level establishment with a pool and proximity to the highway, and if we got bored, there was a long list of things to do. After all, this was a college town.

We ended up ordering Chinese takeout and sat on the floor watching the Padres game on a big screen TV.

Both of us were dog tired and laughing hysterically at stupid shit when the commercials came on.

I suspected that our all nighter had caught up with us in a big way, and nobody would be hitting it out of the park except the Padres.

In fact, Adrian Gonzales cracked a bat in half in the bottom of the ninth and won the game for Patrick's team.

We flipped and Patrick got the first shower. "Try not to use all the hot water."

"Not possible, unless you join me."

He leered and I snapped a towel at him. "Listen, I have only one thing in mind, and it doesn't begin with an F."

Patrick brought up his hands to his face. "Is _that _what we've been doing?"

Last night's series of romps definitely qualified for that status. With a laugh, I said, "Try to keep it down in there. I have to call my Dad."

I waited for the door to close before dialing. It rang a bunch of times, and I got Dad's voice mail.

"Hey, Dad, it's Kat. Wanted to let you know that we've landed safely in Santa Maria for the night. We stopped for a break in Santa Barbara and I got to walk on the waterfront. Hope you and Miss Tharp are having fun. Hope to talk with you tomorrow."

After I clicked off the phone, I wondered if Dad and Miss Tharp had also taken that next step. It had been way more than seven years since Dad had dated or had sex, and he really needed that release. With a smile, I turned off my phone and sat back on the couch and switched to CNN for my daily dose of Christine Amanpour.

Awhile later, someone shook my shoulder and my eyes fluttered open. Patrick was sitting next to me, his curly hair matted down with water and clad only in a towel. "Hey, it's your turn. How did it go with Wally?"

I made a face at the nickname, wondering when Dad had graduated to Wally status. "He wasn't home."

Patrick found that amusing. "Hmm, think they're knocking boots yet?"

"Maybe." I couldn't help but notice the way water droplets gleamed on his chest hair and wanted desperately to brush them away. Trouble was, I didn't have any energy left to put my thoughts into action, so I stumbled into the bathroom and blasted myself with alternating bursts of cold and warm water to clear my head.

It took me a long time to finish, because I think I dozed off a few times. When I finally made it out of the shower, Patrick was waiting for me. "Looks like you could use a little help in here."

I shook my head hard and winced when my wet hair slapped my face. "Can't. Too tired."

He pointed to the vanity chair, where he'd laid down a towel. "Just as I figured. Sit down."

Patrick found my comb with the wide teeth and started combing out my tangles. He was gentle, and the pads of his fingers massaged my scalp as he worked. It felt so good that I moaned, which he immediately jumped on. "Changed your mind, Stratford?"

I smiled as he finished with my hair and started toweling me off, his movements so gentle that I swayed against him. "Mmm, so good. Where'd you learn to do this?"

He shrugged. "Here and there."

"Lucky me," I said without a trace of sarcasm.

Patrick wore only some gym trunks and he tossed an oversized shirt (his) and panties at me. "Hurry up and finish before I die of boredom out here," he said good-naturedly.

It took about ten more minutes to clean my teeth, and I decided to leave the retainer in its case for possibly the rest of the trip. Because I might be too tired for sex, but there was no way he was letting me sleep without his quota of kisses.

[Patrick]

Brushing her hair and drying her off was possibly the sexiest thing I'd ever witnessed. Kat practically writhed under my touch, and watching her body react to my touch was a huge turn on. Kat finally finished in the bathroom and I think my eyes bugged out when she walked slowly out, half hanging out of my white button down shirt. I watched her lean over her suitcase and was rewarded with a full display of her best assets. The shirt dropped to the floor and she slid on a camisole which left nothing to the imagination. Her body told me she was aroused, even if her brain was too tired to act on it.

She slid under the covers and immediately snuggled against me, inviting my arms to surround her as she rested her head against my chest and sighed in contentment. "So, I shared something with you today."

"I know." I tightened my hold on her. "What do you want to know?"

"Who's the guy in the cube?"

"That was my Dad."

"What happened to him?"

Only Roy knew my whole story. "Hit and run."

Kat turned in my arms and touched my face. "I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago." I tried to reassure her, but I had never gotten past it completely.

She kissed my cheek softly. "Doesn't matter. Some wounds never heal."

Like losing her mother at such a young age. "Yeah."

"So what's your aunt like?"

That was hard to answer, because Rachel was an enigma. I knew she was kind, and more than generous with her money, and was utterly committed to the green movement. But beyond that, I had no clue about her personal life, or what her hobbies were, or even what music she listened to. "She's interesting."

Kat smiled. "That's how you first described me."

"And that still stands."

"Ah, nice to know I haven't lost my edge."

"Or your Taser." It had tumbled out of her purse, which meant I better not piss her off.

"Don't worry, you're off my black list."

"Good to know."

"So what will she think of us?"

Rachel and Kat would definitely get along. "She'll like you."

"That's good, but I meant the part where we're having sex."

She had a big, rambling house with more than enough room for everyone. "She'll offer us separate rooms, but won't care if only one bed is used."

"_Really_? She's that enlightened?"

I liked to think so, because there was no way I was sleeping alone. "Usually."

"But maybe if we keep it to ourselves, she won't have to know."

"Oh, she'll definitely know as soon as she sees us."

Kat raised herself up and looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, yeah? How's that?"

I trailed my hand from her shoulder to her elbow. "Other than not being able to keep our hands off each other? I can't think of a thing."

Her cheeks colored slightly and I was so enchanted that I kissed her. It started soft and gentle, but her continued nibbles on my lower lip quickly deepened it to one of those kisses that had to end in sex. Only, tonight it couldn't. Kat finally rested her hand on my chest and kissed me one more time before whispering, "Sweet dreams." 


	26. Chapter 26

26

[Kat]

"Rise and shine." I squinted against the bright morning light to see my overly chipper boyfriend smirking down at me.

The clock said 6AM, and I was ready to kill him. "Are you kidding?"

"Tick tock. Time's a wasting."

I nearly growled in his face as I threw back the covers. "Coffee. Black."

"Over there." Patrick pointed at a tray with two large coffees and I sipped while he returned to his crunches.

I said, "So what's the big hurry? It's only four hours to Half Moon Bay."

Patrick got to his feet and joined me at the table. "So you want to drive straight through with no stops?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Think it through, Kat. Aren't Harry Potter and Esmeralda stopping in Monterey?"

Oh, crap, he was right. And Dad had my itinerary, so he'd be expecting photos. "Good point."

"And if we're really lucky, we'll run into them." Patrick put his feet up and I wrinkled my nose at the smell.

"Damn, that's nasty."

"Hey, it comes with the territory." He leaned over and kissed me. "Just like your dragon breath."

That earned him several swats on the arm, which I hoped would leave permanent dents.

[Patrick]

Our fake IDs and Kat's borrowed credit card ensured a fast checkout, and we were on the road by 7. Sex could wait, though it was never far from my mind.

What can I say? I'm a horny, teenage boy with a super hot girlfriend who was completely unaware of this fact.

That made her even more appealing, and the subject of endless daydreams.

But right now, I was filling in as a GPS and directing her to a coastal route.

We came up to Hearst Castle and looked smugly at the pile of tourists crowding the parking lot. "Want to see how the other half lives?"

"I'll pass," Kat said, speeding up as she did just that, only sparing a glance for a small herd of zebra visible from the road.

"You ever been up there?" I was especially fond of the indoor pool and had gotten kicked out for jumping in as a kid.

"Nope." She was working on her second coffee and a bran muffin (organic flaxseed) we bought in a tiny coffee shop near the Cal Tech campus. "How about you?"

"Yeah, you could say I was fully immersed in my cultural experiences there."

Kat rolled her eyes at my flowery language. "Wow, who knew? Patrick Verona, future commentator for the History Channel."

"Ssh, I have a reputation to uphold."

She smiled at my deliberate word choice. "Multisyllabic words. I _have _been a good influence on you."

The sea breeze ruffled my hair as I looked out the window. "And reading, _all _without moving my lips."

Kat's engaging laugh made me smile as we passed a line of riders on horseback. "I used to do that," she said unexpectedly.

She didn't seem like the horsey type. "_Really_?"

"Yeah, I loved steeplechase events and wanted to be in the Olympics."

"Bet that went over well."

"Took lessons for six months, and broke my ankle."

"Ouch."

"Then I saw Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and got into archery."

"And how did that work out for you?" I said with a smirk.

Kat's sideways glance said she knew I was thinking that power tools and weapons of any kind should be kept far away from her. "I was pretty good."

"You can notch arrows any time, as long as you don't use me for target practice."

"Deal," she said as we approached Big Sur, which had been decimated by wildfires a few years back. I figured we could stop at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on the trip home, because if Kat got a gander at that waterfall that went into the sea, I'd never get her out of there. 


	27. Chapter 27

27

Author's Note: I appreciate all the feedback and am happy people are enjoying the story. However, please don't be upset if the updates are short. I am suffering from nerve pain in my right hand and arm that is exacerbated by typing on a computer. So by necessity, I have to limit my writing time. And my heart is so broken by this cancellation that I don't think I can keep doing this for much longer.

[Kat]

We found a great cafe in Pacific Grove which served breakfast all day and had 50 kinds of Eggs Benedict on the menu. Patrick laughed when I plowed through a huge helping of home fries and followed it up with some Lemongrass Eggs Benedict, which was divine. He ordered a boring hungry man's platter heaped with pancakes, sausage, and a muffin that dwarfed his hand. I don't know if it was the sea air or our general randiness, but we ate like lumberjacks.

As a non-local, I'd asked some guy at the gas station where the best eats were and he pointed to this hole in the wall on a corner, and damn, it really was a down home piece of heaven. The staff was friendly and had fair trade coffee and tea, which made me feel good about dropping forty on a meal.

Yeah, it wasn't cheap, but so what? I figured I only lived once, and as soon as Dad caught wind of my little excursion, I'd be shackled for life and limited to stale bread and water.

We decided to chance the Monterey Aquarium in the afternoon and it was a mob scene. The plastic bubble under the wave machine was thronged with people, and the two story tanks were wall to wall phone cameras and Flip camcorders. Patrick dragged me into the other building and we had great fun watching the otters cavort and twist in play.

Patrick had his arm across my shoulders and he was leaning over to kiss me when some bratty kid wedged himself between us and kicked me in the shins. "What the hell?" I shouted, sorely tempted to retaliate.

The kid's mother was jabbering on her iPhone and nearly took me out with her gigantic pocketbook. I started after her but was held in check by Patrick, who said, "You want to sink to their level?"

My bracelets clinked as I made a fist and shook it at the woman's back. "She deserves it."

"Maybe so, but what do you expect from a Haysi Fantayzee fan?" He pointed at a huge button on her purse.

"Who?"

"Horrible white, dreadlocked band from the early 80's."

"And you know this because?"

Patrick snickered. "Used record bins at Alias Records."

"Ah, now it all makes sense," I said with a tight smile. "Let's get out of here."

[Patrick]

The fog rolled in miles before we got to Half Moon Bay and plagued us all the way up the coast.

Kat had a death grip on the steering wheel and was seriously displeased by the gray miasma that replaced the gorgeous, sunny day we'd left behind in Monterey. "Is it always like this up here?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"More in the summer."

We rode for another ten miles before she spoke again. "Sure you know how to get there?"

It was a turn down some twisting road with a weird name. I dredged my memory and came up with something that approached right. "French Creek Road. It'll be on the right."

"And how long has it been since your last visit?" Kat remained skeptical, and I couldn't blame her.

"Five years."

"Try calling her again," Kat said in a dubious tone. "You know, in case we end up in that creek without a paddle."

I'd tried Rachel again this morning and even phoned her book store, but nobody answered. With a sigh, I speed dialed her cell and was dumped straight into voice mail. "No luck."

"How about her house?"

"Don't have the number."

"Try directory assistance."

An unhelpful robotic voice told me the number was unlisted.

Night had set in, which turned a tense trip into a total horror show. Kat was sniping at everything and growling at the lack of signage, and if she wasn't fed in short order, I feared for the worst. Her headlights flashed across a tiny sign that was obscured by tree branches, but when I motioned her to slow down, it said Village of Half Moon Bay, 3 miles.

With a noisy sigh of relief, Kat braved a glance at me and missed the flash of white crossing the road. "Watch out," I yelled as a deer streaked straight at us.

Kat swerved to the right just in time to avoid a collision and came to a halt by the road side. "Christ, I've had enough."

"Almost there, I promise." I touched her shoulder and the muscles were bunched like a cobra ready to strike.

"Yeah? You better be right."

In fact, Frenchman's Creek Road was prominently marked and I pumped my fist. "See?"

"We aren't there yet, Chuck."

Rachel lived on top of the hill at 528 in a gorgeous, sprawling house with an ocean view. "Soon. Look for a stone gate on the left, about a mile up."

I'd forgotten how gnarly this road was, and even in broad daylight, it was a white knuckle ride. We went around an S-curve and were almost taken out by a Hummer that raced out of a blind driveway. When Kat finished cursing the driver and his entire family tree, I said, "Onward, Jeeves."

Her mouth twisted in annoyance, but she refrained from further comment until we reached the gate. It was standing open, and I took that as a hopeful sign. Kat looked visibly relieved to be off the main drag and settled into a slow speed as we climbed gradually to the summit, where Rachel's white house gleamed like mother of pearl in the solar lights that flanked the walk leading to the front door.

Lights blazed from the house and I spotted Rachel's 63 Corvette parked next to a truck. We got out and stretched and Kat took my arm as we walked quietly up the front steps. I rang the bell and heard someone say, "You expecting anyone?" before the door was opened.

A young guy with a healthy tan and a shock of blonde hair looked at us curiously. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm Patrick."

The man smiled in bafflement and then my name registered. "Oh, wow, we weren't expecting you. Please come in."

Kat said, "Patrick tried calling a bunch of times."

I held up my hand slightly as we stepped into the main hallway. "Is Rachel here?" What I really wanted to know was who the hell this guy was, and how Rachel had become a _we _without telling anyone.

"Yes, we just got in from the airport."

There was that we again. "So who are you again?"

His eyes crinkled. "She didn't tell you, did she?"

"Tell me what?"

"I'm Jason, Rachel's husband."

Kat stared at me with the same shock I was feeling. "Come again?" I said slowly, crossing my arms and staring hard at this strange dude who seemed barely older than me.

A familiar voice called from the back of the house. "Jace, who's there?"

She appeared suddenly in the doorway, and that's when I received my second shock of the night. Straddled across her hip was a gorgeous, dark-haired toddler sucking on a bottle, and damn if she wasn't the spitting image of me at that age. "Oh my God, Pat? Is it really you?"

Rachel handed the baby to Jason and pulled me into a hug. I was so flabbergasted that I kept my hands bunched at my sides, but my resolve melted as memories came flooding back of her comforting arms, so much like my Dad's embrace that I felt tears stinging my eyes. "Yeah, it's me."

Kat stood slightly back and watched all this with wide eyes. I suddenly remembered my manners (burned into my arm by a Sharpie) and took Kat's hand in mine. "And this is my girlfriend, Kat Stratford."

My aunt's smile lit up her face. "Welcome. Can we help you bring anything up from the car?"

And before I knew it, Rachel was doing her hospitality thing and making us all feel at home. She sat us down at the kitchen table and placed steaming dishes of pasta and sauce in front of us. We ate like ravenous wolves as she puttered around the kitchen, fetching homemade Italian bread and butter and insisting we have seconds when we cleaned our plates.

The shock of seeing her with a hot looking guy (he put Joey Donner to shame) and a baby was way too much to wrap my mind around, so I asked the first thing that came to mind. "Why didn't you return my calls?"

Rachel stopped scrubbing at a pot and sat down across from me. "I dropped my phone down a cistern."

No way anyone could make that up. "So why not buy another one?"

She smiled sweetly. "I've been in Tuscany for the past month touring wineries."

Kat smiled. "Did you visit Verona?"

Rachel laughed. "In fact, I did. And discovered at least a dozen families with that name in the region."

I groaned. "Don't tell me Lucia came back with you."

"Not this time."

"Shucks," I said in mock disappointment.

The tiny girl came over and tugged on Rachel's jeans. "Mummy read?"

Rachel scooped her up and kissed her cheek. "In a minute. Patrick, this is Liana."

"Cousin number two." Lucia was the daughter of my father's oldest brother, Victor.

My aunt's laugh had an odd ring to it. "Not exactly."

Kat felt me tense up and covered my hand with hers. "Meaning what?"

Rachel sighed as she got to her feet. "We have a lot to talk about, but it can wait."

It was barely 9, but she had to take care of the kid. "If you say so."

Jason motioned for us to follow him and I was surprised when he showed us into the beautiful guest suite at the back of the house. It had a king sized bed and a balcony that overlooked the ocean. There was an adjoining bathroom and he left us in complete privacy, wishing us good night and urging us to make ourselves at home.  
******


	28. Chapter 28

28

[Kat]

Patrick just had a bomb dropped on him, so asking whether Rachel was hitting the old crack pipe was better left unsaid.

His dark eyes looked like bullet holes as he sat on the bed and stared off into space. Without speaking, I sat next to him and rested my hand next to his in case he needed a lifeline. Mere seconds passed before he latched on with a death grip that turned my fingers white. "Umm, circulation?"

My voice startled him from his reverie and he instantly loosened his hold. "Sorry."

Patrick didn't object when I inched closer and put my arm across his shoulders. "It's a lot to take in." That was the understatement of the year.

"Mmm." He looked down at our joined hands and opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't seem to get the words out.

"Has it always been like this?"

Patrick finally managed to meet my eyes and something deep resonated between us. "Yeah."

"How do you manage?'

He shrugged. "Veronas have always been about the crazy."

"And all card-carrying members of the Open Book Club."

That produced a tiny smile. "Victor, Leo, and Rachel. What a bunch."

"Rachel is cool with us..." I looked around at the palatial spread and finished with, "Shacking up?"

Another shrug. "Don't much care what she thinks."

Maybe that was my cue to back off, but when I started to stand up, Patrick shook his head. "_Don't_."

"OK." I heard a tiny beep and suddenly realized I'd forgotten to check messages. "Umm, do you mind? My Dad is probably worried."

"Sure."

My phone was on the nightstand (right side) and I reached over to grab it. The call log showed two calls from Dad and one from Bianca. Patrick leaned against me as I listened to voice mail and wound his arm around my waist when my face fell.

I hit the Speaker button and sighed as my Dad's irate voice filled the air.

"Katarina, it's been 48 hours since you last called. I've been worried sick, so I called the hotel where your class is staying. They said there's no one by that name staying there. You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady."

With pursed lips, I played the next message.

"Kat, this isn't funny. Dad has the FBI on speed dial and is ready to drive up there himself."

Patrick made a 'not good' face and I played the final message.

"I drove to the school to see if your car was there, and it was gone. Frankly, I'm inclined to think you ran off with that man boy, so I'll be paying his parents a visit."

The phone dropped from my fingers as Patrick jumped to his feet and started pacing. "This is _so _not cool."

"Maybe Rachel can help." My light tone was completely at odds with my churning stomach.

"Are you kidding me?"

I shook my head. "I'd say she owes you."

His dark eyes flashed before he shuttered his emotions. "Let me handle this, OK?"

Patrick pushed through the door and stomped down the hall to the master suite. His loud knock was quickly answered by Rachel. who was half hanging out of a robe as she closed the door behind her. She belted it tightly and seeing me, indicated we should follow her downstairs. When we reached the kitchen, she asked, "What is it?"

"You need to call off the dogs."

I repeated the messages and watched the play of emotions telegraphing between Patrick and Rachel. For a moment, they looked so much alike that something bloomed in my mind. It was such a crazy notion that I shelved it for later reference.

Rachel finally said, "So you two decided to take a romantic side trip."

Patrick reddened slightly. "Not exactly. I got thrown out and came here to see you."

She offered us water and sat across the table from us. "That's happened before, Pat. Why is this time any different?"

"That bastard ran over my bike."

"Ah, Richard Cranium. What does Lauren say about this?"

"Nothing," Patrick said hotly. "She lets it happen."

"And no one witnessed this?"

"Maybe that old lady next door, but no one else I can think of."

Rachel nodded. "OK, let me make a few calls."

I handed her my phone and she pressed Send. "Hello, is this Mr. Stratford?"

She pressed the speaker button and put the phone down. "Yes, who is this please?"

"This is Rachel Verona, Patrick's aunt."

"I see. Are you calling from the local jail?"

Patrick stifled a laugh when Rachel rolled her eyes. "No, we're all here in Half Moon Bay, safe and sound."

"_What _did you say?" My father's voice rose with his outrage.

"Near the Devil's Slide." Rachel's eyes twinkled at the hiss on the other end. "The kids came down for supper and we lost track of time."

I figured my father's patience was withering fast. "Can I talk to my daughter, please?"

"I'm here Dad."

"Privately." It wasn't a suggestion.

The speaker was muted as I put the phone to my ear. "Dad, everything is fine. Patrick wanted to visit his aunt, so we drove up ourselves instead of taking the bus."

"You said he wasn't going."

"Last minute change of plans." I waited for the shit storm, and sure enough, Dad started letting loose with some choice expletives that he probably stole from women in labor.

Holding the phone away, I let Patrick and Rachel witness the yelling before I brought it back to my ear. "Sorry if I misled you."

"Oh, is that a newfangled word for lie?" My Dad's voice cracked like a whip and I winced at his sharp tone. "Your trip is over. Come home immediately."

There was no way I was leaving Patrick high and dry. "Can't do that, Dad."

"_Can't_?" I am sure his face was that lovely shade of pumice that meant he was seriously displeased.

"Sorry, Dad, but Patrick needs me right now."

He sputtered a few times. "I'll bet he does. Put him on the line."

Patrick glided over and slid his arm around my waist as he took the call. "Hi, Dr. Stratford. What's up?"

He smirked at the ranting and raving from the other end and waited a few seconds before saying, "Kat was kind enough to give me a ride."

After a long beat, he clicked off the phone and handed it to me. "He's ordering us to drive back tomorrow."

I shook my head. "No way."

"Thought you'd say that." Patrick kissed my cheek and let his lips linger. Rachel stood up and stretched and said she'd call Lauren in the morning. I watched Patrick take the stairs two at a time and lingered for a moment to speak to Rachel.

"Why did you put us together in the guest suite?"

Her grin was so much like Patrick's that I did a double take. "Because he'd just sneak across the hall to be with you."

I felt a pinch of heat rise up my neck. "Are we that obvious?"

Her smile widened. "Oh, yeah. From the way you're always touching to the way he looks at you...it's unmistakable."

"What is?"

"Love." And with that simple word, she touched my shoulder and headed up the stairs.


	29. Chapter 29

29

[Patrick]

Kat was long asleep, lulled into nocturnal oblivion by the comfort of our mutual embrace, but I wasn't so lucky. After I slipped out of bed, I paced for awhile until fresh air and nature lured me outside.

I sat out on the back veranda and listened to the distant ocean. The fog had been blown away by an incoming cool front, and the stars hung like diamonds on the black velvet of the night sky.

It felt like the top of my head had been ripped off, all rational thought swept away by a tidal wave of information.

So many god-damned secrets, and why? Of all the people in my family, Rachel had always been the one who gave it to me straight.

But she'd gone ahead and married Jason and had a kid with him, all without telling anyone.

I could understand her blowing off Lauren, but not telling me, her nephew?

That knowledge cut so deep that I could almost feel it twisting in my gut.

And then she turned around and acted like she always used to, teasing Kat's father like some kid poking at a hornet's nest.

For a moment there, it had been just like old times, and I could turn a blind eye to the high chair and the trail of toys leading to a playpen. But then that little girl showed up tugging Rachel's pants, and I could see this amazing connection between them, and the knife twisted again.

After my Dad was killed, Lauren became a different person and turned her back on her only child. I became a latch key kid, fending for myself and subsisting on Spaghettios and Ramen noodles.

Right up to this school year, I'd been exactly how Kat described me. Not caring or giving a damn about anyone or anything, until she nearly knocked me off my bike on that very first day.

An emotional door creaked slowly open, forcing me to pay attention and be accountable. Slowly but surely, Kat got under my skin until there was no denying what I felt.

She ignored me after the auto shop for an agonizing two weeks, which finally prompted me to show up at her window.

I am not the same person I was last fall.

Yeah, I was still way too cynical for someone my age, and I didn't ever seem to say the right thing...if I even managed to get the words out.

But the polar ice caps around my heart were slowly melting, and I was starting to let myself feel again.

Everything was great, right up to the point where that bastard flattened my bike and robbed me of my wheels.

I felt trapped by my life, and had to find a way out.

So when Kat extended her hand, I vowed never to let go.

I got up and returned to the now cool bed, where Kat muttered about Sully and promised to save the show. Only person I have ever known who dreamed in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

Her raven hair cascaded across the pillow and I ran it through my fingers like a skein of silk, marveling for the millionth time that this girl had chosen me.

I probably deserved whatever damage her Dad would mete out, but that could wait for another day.

For now, she was completely mine, and I would enjoy my time with her.  
*****


	30. Chapter 30

30

Note: This is a lighter, transitional scene and might be the only one I write all week. I have an insane schedule and will be away for a few days, so I might not get to another update until the end of this week.

[Patrick]

MY eyes fluttered open and I reached over to find an empty bed.

It was barely light, but I could see her shape wrapped in a blanket on the veranda.

She was typing furiously, and hardly noticed when I took the chair next to her. "Did Sully bang the broad yet?"

Kat nearly dropped her phone. "What?"

I laughed at her horrified expression. "Wow, you're certifiable."

"_Really_? Then I'm in good company."

She glared at me and I crossed my fingers. "Ooh, hairy eyeball time."

"Better than the pointing finger."

"That will come soon enough." I was surprised Wally hadn't taken the red-eye last night.

"Yeah." Kat bent her head slightly and finished typing a response.

"They still badgering you?"

She sighed. "Totally. Now they want me to spearhead their national campaign."

"Perfect." I smirked and managed to dodge her halfhearted air swipe.

"See what I get for telling you?" Kat dug her fingers into her tangled mass of curls. "I'll never hear the end of this."

I stood up and opened my hand. "Give it here."

Kat stopped twisting her hair. "What?"

"C'mon, time to break the Sidekick habit."

Her fingers closed over her phone. "No way."

"_Way_. While you're here, you keep it turned off."

"What if my Dad calls?"

"Who cares? He's already pissed off."

She handed it over with a quivering lip. "It can get worse, believe me."

I chuckled. "I'm sure it can."

"My peeps won't understand."

"Who cares?" The Sidekick and my crappy, old BlackBerry Curve could keep each other company while Kat and I were off in the real world.

"I do."

I shook my head. "These aren't real friends, Kat. People on the Web come and go all the time."

"Yeah, but I need these people to save the show."

It was already too late, and I think she knew it. "Do you?"

"We need to reach critical mass, or we're sunk."

"So you think showing up on Friday will prove your point and force the powers that be to change their minds?"

"That's the general idea. Want to join me?"

No way I was getting near a bunch of crazed fans. "I'll pass. What about the actors? Have they joined your cause?"

"They retweeted a bunch of times to help save the show."

"_Wow_, that's above and beyond," I said sarcastically.

"_Hey_, it's better than nothing."

It was less than nothing. "Is it? So, if they're committed to the cause, are they showing their faces on Friday?"

"That's the general idea."

No self-respecting actor would come anywhere near these fans. "Did any of them actually say they'd show up?"

"Umm...not exactly."

"Huh." I held out my hand. "C'mon, let's find some caffeine."

Kat grumbled under her breath but finally grasped my fingers. "Why do I put up with you, Verona?"

There was dew on the table and I traced our initials inside a heart. "I think we both know the answer to that." 


	31. Chapter 31

31

This installment was crafted with the excellent help of Hammock, Film School, and DJ Krush.

[Patrick]

Coffee put a smile on her face and straight into my arms.

We grappled with our clothes and I tore her camisole in my haste to remove it. My toes curled as she rolled a condom onto me, and the anticipation of burying myself in her nearly sent me over the edge.

Her lush body surrounded me as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

Hot kisses bounced and slid as I thrust my tongue deep into her mouth and tasted her completely.

We spiraled from the edge of the bed to the French doors, pushing through them as I entered her.

Kat's entire body shuddered as I pulled her down onto the chaise lounge, letting her ride me slowly. The pace picked up as she grew more comfortable, and she lowered herself over my mouth, which sucked and licked as she offered herself to me.

She made an impatient sound when I slowed down, but that turned into a moan when my thumb found her favorite spot and pressed in and out in time to my thrusts.

Her strong legs clenched like a vise as she spasmed against me, and at the moment her head went back, I joined her in blissful oblivion.

It was so good this time that we laughed like idiots as the golden euphoria subsided, finally coming back to terra firma when a raven landed on the roof and squawked at us.

"That one of your Dad's minions?"

Kat smiled against my cheek. "Could be. Should we take this inside?"

Much as I loved having sex with her, I missed my morning run and needed to clear my head. "After my run," I suggested.

She kissed me softly and suggestively, and I groaned as her hand traced my chest hair to its logical end. "Please?"

"Since you asked so nicely..."

Our bodies clashed again, and this time we crashed on the rocks together.

"God, that was profound," Kat said, dark eyes raking my exposed body with a warmth that burned me to a cinder.

I traced the fine dusting of freckles along her collarbone. "I've been elevated to deity status?"

That raised a sexy laugh which nearly sent me careening at her again. "Don't flatter yourself."

It was enough to break our spell, and I managed to divert my brain back to my morning run. "Want to join me?"

Kat made a funny face. "Running? Don't think so. There are better ways to torture my body."

There were a thousand smart aleck responses, but I kept them to myself. "Suit yourself," I said.

[Patrick]

The air was cool and clean and I ran for miles, skirting the cliff walk and circling back up the long hill to Rachel's homestead.

She owned the land for a half mile in either direction, and I finally reached the marsh trail and slowed my pace.

I stopped to stretch by the side of the swamp and watched a great blue heron lunge for breakfast. It dove a few more times while I finished my hamstring stretches, and I sat down on a rock to mull over the events of last night.

_Not exactly._

What the fuck did that mean?

And who had stolen my forthright aunt and replaced her with..._me_?

Was I really this annoying, because uncovering those secrets felt like I'd been doused with gasoline and set aflame.

I put my head in my hands and did the deep breathing Roy had taught me, pushing away everything but the sound of my breath. It helped me put a lid on things, but I knew it would boil over when Rachel accosted me.

The walk back was slow and reflective, but that all fell away when I saw Rachel emerge from the garage holding Liana's hand.

They were carrying a basket of eggs, and moving slowly to avoid breaking anything.

Rachel handed the basket and Liana over to Jason, who tucked them into the van and drove off.

She stretched her arms over her head and that's when she spotted me.

Her shoulders slumped and she leaned against her 'Vette as I made my way down the slope.

When I got within earshot, Rachel said, "You better sit down."

There was a bench on the hill behind the house and I followed her through the tall grass.

We sat in silence and watched the seabirds wheeling overhead for a long beat. "Tell me," I said finally.

"There's no easy way to say this...I never meant to wait so long..." Her voice wavered and I quickly grew impatient.

"Just say it."

Rachel gulped audibly. "I had a kid when I was 16."

"Wow, if this is some sad attempt to lecture me..."

She cut me off. "That kid was you, Patrick."

All the breath left my body and I felt like I'd been sucker punched. I reared back on the bench and stared at her, hoping this was a joke but seeing only cold, hard truth staring  
back at me. "It can't be."

Rachel nodded. "Liana is your sister, not your cousin."

"No fucking way." I stood up abruptly and backed away.

Rachel trotted after me. "Please, Patrick, let me explain."

I covered my ears and started running, but she caught me at the door. "Your Dad and Lauren couldn't have kids, so they adopted you."

_Adopted_.

No wonder Lauren turned her back on me when Dad died. It all made sense now.

I kicked open the garage door and nearly tripped over a spanner wrench. My fingers found it and I flung it so hard that it broke the far window, shattering it the way my heart had just been broken.

Tears blurred my vision and I scrubbed at them hard, wanting to erase the emotion that had raised them. I pushed my way through to the driveway, where Rachel touched my shoulder.

I flung off her hand. "Stay the hell away from me, Rachel."

It was time to leave, and get as far away from this place before my shitty life was completely ripped to shreds.

[Kat]

I made my way downstairs for some food and found a plate wrapped in aluminum foil next to a carafe of maple syrup. I opened the cover and my stomach growled at the sight of homemade waffles, infused with pecans and fruit. In short order, I inhaled three waffles and a bowl of fresh berries, followed by two lemon poppy seed muffins. As I rinsed off the plates and racked them in the dishwasher, I heard a door bang and looked out the kitchen window.

Patrick emerged from the garage with Rachel following in his wake. He stopped to face her and her hands moved as she talked, clearly trying to placate him. When her fingers landed on his shoulder, he shoved it away and walked toward the house.

If he caught me watching, our cease fire would be history. I sat at the table and unfolded the paper, barely glancing up when he came storming in. Patrick stopped short and skewered me with a suspicious glance. "How long have you been here?"

I shrugged. "Lost track of time reading the sports page."

Patrick made a face as he examined the baseball scores. "Padres lost again. Are you done?"

"Why, you wanna have more hot monkey sex?"

A tiny smile flickered across his face. "Tempting...but no."

"Then what?"

"Time to pack your bag. We're leaving."

It sounded like an order, and I didn't take crap from anyone. "_Yeah_? I don't think so."

Patrick was taken aback, but he recovered quickly. "Fine. _I'll_ leave."

I got to my feet. "Not so fast, Chuck. What just went down?"

"So you _were _watching," he said, his tone accusing me.

"Maybe."

He sighed in frustration. "I can't talk about it here."

"So let's drive."

Patrick considered my suggestion. "I know a place. Can you be ready in ten?"

I suddenly noticed his sweaty attire. "Can you?"

"_Right_. See you outside in twenty."


	32. Chapter 32

31

[Kat]

I walked out and found Rachel in the garden. "Those waffles were awesome. Maybe you can share the recipe."

"Sure thing. Is Patrick still here?" She was perfectly composed, but primal emotion colored her tone.

We shared a look that said we understood him all too well. "Upstairs showering."

"And really angry?" Rachel's uncanny resemblance to Patrick banged a mental gong that reverberated through me. My earlier thoughts on their family connection came screaming back, and I suddenly had an epiphany.

"Patrick ordered me to pack my bag. Any idea why that might be?"

She sighed. "Better if it comes from him."

That made sense. "Anything I can do?"

Her thick braid thumped against her shoulder. "Listen and just be with him."

And with that advice given, Rachel headed outside, got into her car, and drove off.

[Patrick]

I doused myself with cold water and when I couldn't stand it any longer, I cranked up the heat until my skin turned brick red.

When I couldn't take any more, I turned the spigot to a normal temperature and finished punishing myself.

It was a good half hour before I emerged and cocooned myself in one of Rachel's guest robes, obviously intended for someone more important than the son she hadn't wanted.

_I had a kid when I was 16._

I smirked in the mirror at how naive I'd been.

_That kid was you, Patrick._

She was barely younger than me when it happened.

_Liana is your sister, not your cousin._

Tears burned anew at Rachel's betrayal, both in not telling me before now and in choosing her new baby over me.

I had Roy on speed dial, and if ever there was a time I needed an impartial voice, it was this one.

The phone connected as I walked out to the veranda. "'Lo," said his mellow voice.

"Roy, it's Patrick. Is this a bad time?"

His tone instantly changed. "Not at all. What can I do for you?"

"I'm visiting Rachel." I hadn't shared much about her, but that was about to change.

"And how is that going?"

Barely constrained feelings clogged up my throat. "It's...tearing me apart."

"What happened?"

His gently reassuring tone released my emotional floodgates. "She's..._married _and has a kid."

Roy's analytical antenna instantly picked up on what I wasn't saying. "And _didn't_ tell you?"

"Nope."

"I thought you two shared everything."

I laughed humorlessly. "Guess I'm not the only one with a secret life."

"Any idea why she'd keep that to herself?"

My lips tightened with anger. "Besides the part where I'm the kid she had at 16? No fucking idea."

Roy's breath hissed. "Wow, that's...what are you going to do?"

"No clue."

"Have you told Kat yet?"

"Soon," was all I could manage, knowing her sympathy might break me completely.

"And things are good with her?"

"Better than good." The sex was fantastic, and we seemed to have turned a corner on trusting one another.

"I'm glad. Call me anytime, and don't forget to schedule our next appointment."

"Will do."

I stood and let the robe fall away from me. The cool breeze stirred the fine hairs on my naked body, and I stood that way for a long time. I felt at home in my skin, and my unfettered state belied my growing connection with Kat.

She deserved the honest truth, on many different levels. So far I had only shown my feelings by losing myself in her, but Kat deserved everything I had to give.

Trouble was, I wasn't sure I was more than an empty vessel.

[Patrick]

Kat watched as I wheeled Rachel's BMW motorcycle out to the courtyard. It was well maintained and had a full tank of gas, and I knew it was OK to borrow it.

Without a word, she got on behind me and surrounded me with her arms. One of her hands drifted to my abs as we rode, and my body responded like it always did. "Keep doing that, and I'll take you right here." My voice was only half joking as I spoke into the helmet mic.

"Is that a promise?" Kat said with a hint of merriment in her voice.

We were both avoiding the real reason for this excursion. "Scout's honor."

"You have honor?"

"When it suits me," I said lazily as I turned off down a private dirt lane that led to an ocean overlook.

Our helmets came off and I extended my hand. Her strong fingers grasped mine as I pulled her down a path that led to a secluded inlet. I'd spent a lot of time here in my younger years, and now it would be used for something more than talk.

There was a strong sexual vibe thrumming between us, and my need rose sharply as Kat took in the gorgeous view with a gasp of wonder. "This is amazing," she said with reverence.

I was taking in a completely different view of her body outlined against a translucent white shirt. "Indeed it is."

And then she turned and saw my face, and her own eyes darkened with unvarnished lust. I shrugged off my jacket and pulled my shirt over my head, enjoying the flare of her nostrils and the way her mouth opened slightly. I extended my hands and Kat stopped just out of reach, her eyes beckoning me to undress her. The edges of her shirt flared open enough to reveal the soft mounds of her breasts, and though I itched to make quick work of her clothes, I merely rested my hand in the soft, velvety valley that lay between. Her heart fluttered wildly as I spread my fingers and draped them underneath each soft swell. "Patrick, please..."

"Please what?" I wanted to make her say it, even though I knew exactly what she needed.

Kat whispered the f word and I laughed at her refusal to say it aloud. "You know _what_."

"Do I now?" I touched her face just before kissing her softly, wanting her to make the next move.

When I pulled back, Kat stood on tiptoe and captured my smiling mouth with her impatient lips. Our tongues collided and dueled and finally settled into a rhythm that matched our grinding hips. We stopped for a second and I watched as Kat pulled her shirt up and over, kicking it aside as her hands went for my belt. With a greedy smile, she unbuckled me slowly and lowered the zipper enough to reveal my lack of underwear. "Looks like you left something behind too."

She knelt down and swirled her tongue around my belly button. With a groan, I caught her shoulders and raised her up. "How long do you expect me to last?"

Kat smiled as I kicked off my boots, pulled off my belt, and slowly undulated out of my pants. "Long enough," she said when she caught sight of my erection.

I raised my arms over my head and leaned against the fence, knowing how much this turned her on. With a grin, I watched as she ripped off her remaining clothes.

Her lush body seemed made for my hands and mouth, and as we inhaled each other once again, I felt like Kat was the only thing holding me together.

[Kat]

Our bodies were slick with sweat as we lay on our backs, watching the puffy white clouds reshape themselves as they scudded by.

Only our hands were joined in the middle, but I could still feel the welcome pressure of his thrusts and the pad of his thumb pressing me until I screamed my release.

He looked over at me, and the promise in his eyes told me he was far from losing his mood. "That was fun."

Fun didn't begin to describe our sexual rollercoaster ride. "Mmm."

Patrick opened his hand and I saw two unopened condoms. "You up for the challenge?"

Oh, I was pretty sure I could do this all day, and still be panting with want. "Definitely."

He rolled over to his side and trailed his fingers across my chest. As I perked up, he graced each peak with a lingering kiss. "But we should talk first."

*****  
[Patrick]

The sun backlit her hair and turned it golden as she settled against me, burrowing into my chest and sighing as I wrapped my arms around her. "So," she said simply. "Why did you want to jet?"

"Because..." Should I draw this out, or rip the bandaid off the wound and let it bleed?

She turned to look at me with inquiring eyes. "You're not the only one with secrets?"

"Mmm." I could sense her expectant silence. "This isn't Rachel's first kid."

Kat brushed her fingers through my hair and rested her hand on the side of my face. "Really?"

"Yeah, she got knocked up at 16...with _me_."

She turned to frame my face with deep concern shining from her eyes. "God, I'm so sorry."

"I feel like...she chose this life over me." And that was the part that tore at me.

[Kat]

Patrick's face crumbled and I hugged him with all my strength as he wept. The trust he had shown by opening up to me was unprecedented, and I would do everything in my power to maintain it. There was nothing I could offer but myself, and he seemed to need nothing more than that. When the shaking of his shoulders subsided, I said, "That's why she kept it a secret."

He wiped the back of his hand against his face. "Probably."

Rachel was barely younger than us when she got pregnant. "What if it happens to us?"

Patrick's lips lifted slightly as he looked down at me. "We'll deal."

"Will we?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "What's your point?"

He knew full well what I was getting at. "Put yourself in her shoes for a second."

Now he looked outraged. "I can't believe you're taking her side."

God, I knew our cease fire was too good to be true. "I'm not! I'm just trying to figure out what motivated her."

"Who cares? I'm done with Rachel."

Patrick started pulling on his clothes and I was only half dressed when he tossed my helmet at me. "Get your butt in gear, or I'm leaving you behind."

With a hiss of annoyance, I pulled on my shirt and stomped over to the bike. "You know, you can be a real jerk."

"Just get on," he said in a weary voice.

And so I did as he asked, but when we returned to Rachel's house, Patrick ordered me off the bike. "Escape while you still can," was his parting advice before he roared off on his purloined ride.


	33. Chapter 33

33

[Patrick]

I headed north, passed over the Golden Gate Bridge, and ended up on the Marin Headlands. The air was clean and crisp and the staggering views were begging to be digitally captured. Kat should be here with me, but right now I needed to fly solo and sort this out. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Kat's questions were valid.

A group of schoolkids pushed past me and I followed them up to the fort, where they made faces at me from different levels. One of the young chaperones gave me the eye, and I barely smiled back at her as I thought about the glorious sex I'd just had.

The memory of it lifted my lips and I closed my eyes and envisioned Kat's naked frame sprawled on top of me. The girl saw my smile as an invitation and separated from her group to waylay me. "You come here often?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope, but I was hoping to bring my girlfriend up here."

I smirked when her face fell. "Are you sure? 'Cause I could show you a real good time."

Someone called her name from the group on the hill. "Don't worry, I won't rat you out."

"For what?" she said crossly.

"Hitting on an under-aged kid."

Her wide blue eyes gave me the once over. "Yeah, right."

They called her name again and she shoved me on her way past. "Some advice? That line only works on TV."

With a huff of annoyance, she trotted back to her group and left me in peace.

[Kat]

Every house had a wall of photos, and Rachel's place was no exception.

There were the requisite wedding and baby photos, and a sepia toned photo with worn edges of Rachel and her two siblings. The dark-haired guy to her left was the same person in Patrick's photo cube. He also appeared in wedding garb next to a blonde woman, and other than the smile, the guy bore little resemblance to Patrick. Contrast that with Rachel and the resemblance was so unmistakable that I wondered why Patrick had never put this together.

From the raven curls to the cleft in their respective chins, it was dead easy to connect the dots. But the dark eyes came from someone other than Rachel, whose eyes were a deep indigo.

"Quite the resemblance, don't you think?"

I whirled around to see Jason in the doorway. In my reverie, I hadn't heard his return home. "Yeah, it's quite a shock."

He moved closer and pointed to a bunch of photos I hadn't scanned yet. "She's always loved him."

It was Patrick through the ages, from the tiny boy hugging a giant cat to the grief-stricken preteen who refused to smile for the camera, and ending with Patrick and Rachel on a pair of motorcycles. "I can see that."

"She got him that motorcycle."

Why didn't that surprise me? "That's cool."

"It took Rachel six months to finish refurbing that old ride."

That explained Patrick's mechanical aptitude. "Does she do that kind of thing often?"

Jason nodded proudly. "She fixed up the 'Vette and turned my old van into a green machine."

"Is there anything she can't do?"

His shoulders sagged slightly. "The parenting thing is not her forte."

"But she's so good with your daughter." I looked around him but there was no sign of Liana.

Jason explained, "I took her to the farmer's market, and now she's at the store with Rachel."

"Cool, so you were saying?" I really wanted to hear an outside take on this whole mess.

He moved out of the hallway and offered me some iced tea. We moved to a screened porch that ran the entire back length of the house, and I sat across from him. "Rachel wanted to tell Patrick for years, but Lauren threatened to sue her."

That could only mean one thing: money was involved somewhere. "Don't tell me Patrick is a trust fund baby."

His eyes said bingo. "How did you know?"

I shrugged. "People always flip out over money."

Jason was about to answer when his cell phone rang. He grimaced when he spotted the caller ID and said, "Speak of the devil."

"Lauren?"

He nodded. "I have to take this. Excuse me."

Jason padded off the porch and closed the slider behind him. Even with the layer of glass, I could hear the agitation in his voice as he went ten rounds with Patrick's errant parent. When he finally returned, it looked like he'd aged a decade. "Let me guess. Lawyering up?"

"Pressing charges against Patrick for willful destruction of property."

What kind of person would threaten to lock up their own son? "That's low."

"Not for Lauren. She's turned it into a new art form."

"And where did you say Patrick was?"

He smiled. "As of this moment, I said I had no idea. You?"

"No clue." Patrick could be anywhere, but I hoped he came back to me soon.


	34. Chapter 34

34

_In places we feel safe to hide  
We're both are fragile, was collided  
A beautiful array of light  
Together mixed with cyanide  
A place that we can both agree was  
Meant for you and me_

Cyanide, Lyrics by Castaneda

*****

**Note**: I love this song Cyanide by Castaneda. They used it in the scene where Patrick and Kat are first shown in their mobile love shack. The lyrics fit them perfectly. It makes me mad all over again that they cancelled our show. And yeah, this band doesn't seem to exist anymore.

[Patrick]

I extended my trip and headed up to Muir Woods. Skirting around the throng of tourists, I finally found a quiet space and took out my sketchpad. Writing was Rachel's forte, and mine was music, but both of us liked to draw when the chips were down.

A chipmunk skittered around the bole of a redwood and chattered at me before disappearing into the forest canopy. Fog shrouded the tops of the trees and set the mood for my drawing. My charcoal slid effortlessly across the paper and that zen state I rarely achieved settled on me like a protective mantle, screening out the kids who tore past me and ignoring the frowns of people who muttered about me ruining their photos. Nothing mattered except Kat and possibly my newly discovered family.

_Put yourself in her shoes for a second.  
_  
That was a tall order, given my insular existence. I'd looked inwardly from the moment my Dad died, and hardly knew or cared what others were doing or thinking.

My phone chirped and I noticed a growing number of text messages and voice mails piling up. Most were from Kat, two were from Rachel, and one was from Jason. Why he would call me out of the blue when he barely knew me struck me as odd. I entered my password and listened to his brief but telling message:

_Patrick, Lauren and her boyfriend are pressing charges against you for willful destruction of property. I'd like to hear your side of things, so please call me soon. I'm an attorney and I can help. Thanks._

Maybe curiosity would kill this cat, but I had to know.

He answered on the first ring. "I'm glad you called. Where are you?"

"In the woods. What's up?"

Jason got right to the point, which I totally appreciated. "Did you part company with some sand a few nights ago?"

Interesting way to phrase it. "Maybe."

He sighed. "Eye for an eye always fails, Patrick."

"How so?"

"You're out one motorcycle, because no one saw anything."

"And?"

"Mrs. Laramie saw you lurking around Richard's truck late at night."

"Unless Granny has night vision goggles and 20-20 eyesight, there's no real proof."

"Maybe not, but it's her word against yours. Who do you think the cops will believe?"

"Didn't they get the memo? She's my biggest fan and brings me hot meals."

Jason chuckled. "Not anymore."

"Damn. Her liver and onions were to die for. Maybe if I throw myself on the mercy of the court?"

He laughed again. "Don't think so. Listen, if we pay to repair the truck, Lauren will drop the charges."

"You gotta be shitting me. That will cost at least...two grand."

"Try three."

I swore under my breath. "I don't have that kind of money."

"Sure you do. It's called a trust fund."

My ears must have stopped working. "Huh?"

"Lauren's been stealing from your trust fund for years. It's time we stuck it to her."

Trust fund...money...stealing...this made no sense. "I've always been as poor as a church mouse."

"Yeah? Ever wonder where Lauren got the cash to float that loser boyfriend several large loans to buy his truck and the boat he keeps at the marina?"

"You and Rachel knew about this?"

"Just found out yesterday after doing some digging. You up for a fight?"

Oh, yeah, I was always ready to bash some heads in. "Sure. I'm in. What do you need?"

He hesitated for a second before saying, "Come home, Patrick."

[Kat]

Jason urged me to visit Rachel at the bookstore. "You'll like it."

"You trying to get rid of me?" He'd been behind closed doors, and my gut told me it was related to Patrick.

"Of course not. Rachel's invited you down for lunch."

Jason drew me a map and in less than ten minutes, I was pulling up to the Cozy Cat Cafe and Book Loft. The building was stone and glass, but the interior had comfy chairs and couches and reminded me of an English gentleman's library.

Rachel was helping a customer, so I occupied myself in the women's studies section and discovered a treasure trove of new and used books. By the time Rachel came to get me, I had half a dozen books cradled in my arm for purchase. "You have a great selection."

She smiled at my choices. "Some of those were my favorites in college."

"Where did you go?"

"Berkeley. I majored in English literature."

"You're in the right business," I said.

"Thanks. You have room for lunch? Maggie just made some divine gazpacho, and her frittatas are out of this world."

My stomach growled its approval. "Absolutely. Are you vegetarian?"

"I eat fish and occasional chicken, so no. You?"

"Yeah." There was an unspoken question shimmering in her eyes. "So Patrick told me."

Rachel nodded as she handed me a menu and led me to a table next to Liana's high chair. "I'm glad."

I had every intention of grilling her about her Juno gig, but I caught sight of a God and Country banner over the cash register. "Omigod, do you watch?"

Her eyes lit up. "I'm totally obsessed. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I put Liana to bed early on Mondays so I can watch."

"I download it and watch it secretly."

Rachel snickered. "You have it bad. I'd like to join that group on Friday, but I can't get away."

My green tea and mint spewed out like a fountain. "You _know _about that?" I mopped up the mess with a pile of napkins.

"Of course. I helped organize it."

Oh, shit, this meant Rachel was on the boards. "Really, so what's your name on Fan Forum?"

She looked over at the sleeping kittens on the nearby window seat. "Crazy Cat Lady."

It was so close to my own name that I was slightly freaked. "I've seen your posts."

"Do you lurk?"

"Umm, no, I'm Brownie." It was a lameass name, but it described my coloring and my future school.

Her features twisted into a smile. "Oh, you're the plainspoken one. You have guts."

"Or I'm just stupid." Which had been pointed out to me by legions of forum regulars.

"Hardly. Don't let those rabid types scare you. If you show up, do it for the right reasons, not because they guilted you into it."

I liked Rachel more by the second, and realized that Patrick was damned lucky to have her as a mother. She was cool, classy, beautiful, and brilliant, and didn't take life too seriously. I expect he already knew that, but breaking through his damned barriers was something I would leave to her.

We finished up lunch and just before I left, Rachel said, "Why don't you hang out here for awhile? I could use the company."

I sensed some ulterior motive on her part, so I asked, "Is Patrick in trouble?"

She shrugged. "Nothing Jason can't handle."

At my raised brow, Rachel said, "He's a lawyer, and if Patrick approves, we're going after Lauren."


	35. Chapter 35

35

[Patrick]

The sun was surfing the waves and sinking fast when I returned. Like a kite let far out on its string, I had hit my zenith and finally came back to Earth.

_Come home, Patrick._

Those unexpected words warmed me in a way I hadn't felt in a long time.

My feet crunched on gravel as I got off the bike and rolled it to the garage. When I came back outside, I looked around and wondered where the hell Kat's car was.

_Escape while you still can._

Crap, what was I thinking? I took the stairs to the back porch two at a time and pushed through the kitchen door. "Where is...?"

My words were halted by the sight of Jason cradling a sleepy Liana. With a finger to his lips, he settled her over his shoulder and moved down the hall to her room. I followed him and watched as he tucked her into her crib and settled a blanket around her shoulders.

_I have a sister._

The lump in my throat tightened as it all hit home. With a shaky breath, I waited for Jason to finish and when we were safely ensconced in his study, I said, "Where's Kat?"

"Helping Rachel down at the cafe."

My head started whirling and I sat back in my chair to process what this all meant. I went from being persona non grata to having a mother _and _a sister. Top all that off with an amazing girlfriend who stayed put even after I ordered her to get lost.

What had I done to deserve this, because it seemed like the bluebird of happiness had done nothing but shit all over me?

I realized I'd been zoning out, so I smiled apologetically. "Sorry, it's been an _interesting _day."

Jason looked over his glasses and returned my smile. "And then some."

"So I have a trust fund?"

He nodded and pushed some papers at me. "It was handed down from Leo when he died, with the stipulation that Lauren would manage it until you were 18."

"Yeah? She never mentioned it." I looked down at the columns of numbers and frowned at the rapidly shrinking balance.

"No wonder. She went through a cool million like water."

A million fucking dollars? I looked at the numbers again and practically fell over at the beginning balance. At the very bottom was the average daily balance for the past month, and there was barely 10,000 left in the account. "How could this happen? Wasn't there oversight?"

"'Fraid not. Lauren had the bank manager in her pocket after making several large donations to his favorite charity."

With _my _inheritance.

A hot rush of bile burned my throat and I was ready to spit nails. "I'll be 18 in two months."

"We can't wait that long. Lauren's got a bug up her ass and she'll drain the account dry unless we stop her."

"How do we do that?"

"With a whole list of charges like fraud and extortion."

"Huh. Then it doesn't make sense to play the paternity card."

"It makes no difference from a legal standpoint. You were Leo's adopted son, so that money is rightfully yours."

Well that was something at least. "So you and Rachel must have done the same thing for Liana."

Jason pulled out a much larger sheath of papers and fanned it before my eyes. "Not just her."

My eyes widened as I scanned the names on the trust fund document. Mine was prominently displayed next to Liana's, and it declared that Rachel's existing trust would be split down the middle with my sister. There were a whole bunch of zeros following the 10 and I couldn't wrap my mind around that kind of money. "Why? How"

"Your grandfather was loaded. When he came over, he made sure all his kids were set up. And while everyone was alive, everybody left the cash alone and let it accumulate. But right after Leo was killed, that trust started foundering. Victor and Lucia stayed in Italy and started a vineyard, which has given them international renown. As for Rachel, she never touched a dime of that money, and she's got a great manager who has doubled her money. So there you have it."

"But until I turn 18, Lauren calls the shots."

"Not anymore. You can become an emancipated minor and wash your hands of her forever."

"She'll never agree to that."

Jason smiled. "Sure she will. We'll agree to pay for the damage to the truck, in exchange for her waiving all parental rights. If she refuses, then we'll have no recourse but to charge her with extortion and fraud. The legal fees alone will kill her."

"You really think it's that simple?" Lauren was a thorny, difficult woman on her good days, and I doubted she'd sign on the dotted line without a major stink.

"Sure." He sat back and beamed at me. "So, you want to move forward with this?"

I had nothing to lose. "Let's do it."

His enthusiasm buoyed me, and as I headed up the stairs, I almost forgot about my earlier tiff with Kat. But it all came flooding back when I opened the door to the sight of her lovely naked body outlined in the soft light from the bathroom. With a determined grin, I moved to the doorway and leaned against it with folded arms and watched her with growing appreciation. She happened to glance in the mirror and jumped when she caught sight of me. "You're back."

I maintained my distance. "Sure am. Mind if I join you?"

The implications were clear and her cheeks pinkened slightly. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Now I closed the gap between us and folded her in my arms. As my lips descended, I said, "Definitely not."


	36. Chapter 36

36

[Kat]

_Like molecules we fall apart_

_And slam together in the dark_

_The dark is where the change is made_

_And all the best made plans are laid_

_They turn into a deeper shade of colors_

_Me and you_

_Cyanide, Lyrics by Castaneda_

Water cascaded on us as we collided, lips and tongues connecting as our bodies joined at the hip. His hands pinned mine over my head as he pounded into me, and I felt every delicious inch of him as he slid back and forth. The kisses and the pace were harder and faster than I was used to, and it felt like I was riding an out of control stallion. He came before me, and as the throbbing subsided, I felt a little cheated.

Before I could protest, Patrick lowered himself until my legs went over his shoulders. He moved in for the kill, spreading me wide as his tongue and fingers went to work on me. I must have found religion at least a dozen times before I said, "Oh, God, I love..." Then I literally bit down on my tongue before I gave myself away.

His sherry eyes seared me as I spasmed against him. "You were saying?"

"N-nothing." Patrick trailed the pads of his fingers across my chest and my mouth went slack.

"Mmm, I think it was something." He kissed the side of my face and teased my ear lobe in his teeth.

His sweeping hands tried to tease it out of me. "Mum's the word."

His answering kiss was sweet and gentle. "Good band, but that wasn't it."

I laughed. "You always have music on the brain."

A chuckle rumbled his chest and vibrated through me. "Among other things."

We sagged against each other and I hugged him hard. "I'm sorry."

Patrick rubbed his cheek against my face. "Don't be."

"Why the change of heart?"

We stepped out of the shower and he tossed me a towel. "I did a lot of thinking today. Life sucked after my Dad died and it didn't improve until I met you."

"Look at you all philosophical." I was joking, but I was inwardly pleased by this admission.

"I'm serious. I'll do whatever it takes to hold on to what I have right now." Patrick's dark eyes crinkled as he touched the wet spaghetti strands of my hair.

I closed my fingers over his hand. "So will I."

"Wally's going to lock you up tight."

Especially after this excursion. "Maybe we can arrange conjugal visits."

"Don't think the warden's going to allow it."

"I know, maybe we can elope," I said with my hands drawn together in hope.

Patrick smirked. "Aha, I _knew _it was the L word."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't flatter yourself, Chuck."

The verbal jousting was fun, and alleviated much of the lingering tension. "Have it your way, but we both know I called this one."

I stuck out my tongue, and he started toward me with a mischievous gleam in his eye that was interrupted by the slam of a car door.

Rachel was already back, so with wary glances, we ran to the front windows. I almost fell over at the sight of my Dad, striding up the front walk with his pointing finger primed and ready for battle.


	37. Chapter 37

37

[Patrick]

"Crap, crap, crap, if he sees us together with wet hair, we're screwed."

"The wet hair is just icing on the cake," I said lightly, hoping to calm her down enough to short circuit her anxiety.

Kat started scooping up dirty clothes and shoving them under the bed. "If anyone asks, this is my room."

"Not a chance," I said, even though I knew what she was getting at.

"Grab up all your crap and throw it across the hall."

"My _crap_?" I suppressed a laugh and watched as she went into speed freak mode and hustled me, my overnight bag, and my shave kit into the tiny room at the head of the stairs.

Kat rushed over and made sure the bed had sheets and pillows. I scattered some dirty clothes across the floor while she yanked the covers off the bed and made it look like my bedroom usually did. "There, he might believe this."

I smirked. "I'm impressed."

"You should be, since it's your ass I'm covering."

I waggled my brows suggestively and croaked like a frog. "Not for long, princess."

She rolled her eyes and tore across the hall at the sound of her father's voice approaching the stairs. I closed my door and counted out the seconds, knowing a knock would land in under a minute. At the 29th second, someone knocked on the door of the room I'd just vacated. "Kat, please open the door, and you better pray I don't find that deep-faced man boy lurking in there."

I knew this wasn't funny, but I couldn't help but smile. Walter Stratford had a comic element about him and a flair for the dramatic that amused me greatly. He should be pounding the boards of a stage, not delivering babies. My smile faded when I realized that the guest bathroom that adjoined my new quarters was bone dry, and it would definitely be on his check list when he saw my dripping wet hair. Luckily, my room had a door that opened onto the bathroom, so I jumped off the bed and slipped into the bathroom. I ran the shower until drops dotted the glass and tile and turned one of Rachel's big, fluffy towels into a sodden mess after drying off my hair. Unfortunately, the mirror was not fogged up, but I hoped Wally would overlook that in his zeal to get his meathooks around my neck to throttle me.

[Kat]

My father looked tired, worried, and so far beyond angry that he'd dropped it over the Devil's Slide. "I told you to come home."

"As I explained, Patrick needed me. He got kicked out..."

"Which I already knew."

"And his mother's boyfriend destroyed his motorcycle."

A tiny sliver of sympathy pierced through his outrage. "I'm truly sorry to hear that, but it still doesn't excuse you."

"Dad, you and Mom raised me to help a friend in need, and that's what I was doing." My voice was rising, because I knew I didn't have a pot to piss in.

"Really? Is that all he is to you?" Dad was staring hard at my nightstand and when I saw what had caught his attention, my stomach fell through the floor.

He walked over and picked up the used condom wrapper. "Explain."

There was no way out of this. "I can't."

"Because it's complicated, and I wouldn't understand?" Dad said, his face reddening as he caught sight of two more wrappers that had fallen to the floor.

I hung my head and dug an imaginary grave with my slippered foot. As I envisioned Dad throwing me into it, I said, "It _is _complicated."

Dad pocketed the wrappers and speared me with a steely glance. "How long?"

"Only a short time."

"And you think using protection is any guarantee that he hasn't put a baby in you?"

"No." I could only guarantee that Dad would be totally shocked if he knew how often and how intense the sex had been. And if I mentioned that our last little adventure in the shower was completely wild and unprotected sex, he'd blow a gasket. Telling him I'd been on the pill for years would completely destroy his coveted image of his innocent little girl, who had abandoned innocence back in Ohio along with her optimism.

"Where is he?" Dad looked in the closet and checked the bathroom, breathing a sigh of relief when his favorite manboy was nowhere to be seen.

"Across the hall."

Dad shook his head. "For how long, ten minutes?"

He wanted me to deny it and declare Patrick and I weren't cohabitating in this room. But the game was up, and I was done lying. "Yeah. He moved across when you arrived."

"So you're sharing this room."

And loving every twisted, sensual second of it. "Yes."

He rubbed at his eyes and I realized how shaken he was. "How could you?"

I moved to face him. "It's real simple, Dad. I love him."

We were interrupted by a soft knock at the door, and there were Patrick and Rachel, and judging from their rapturous expressions, they'd heard my declaration.


	38. Chapter 38

38

[Patrick]

I smirked at Kat and mouthed, "Totally called that one." She rolled her eyes at me and coughed into her hand.

Walter caught our little exchange and made a disapproving sound. "This is worse than I thought. Ms. Verona…"

Rachel broke in, "Please call me Rachel."

He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Fine. _Rachel_, I can't believe any responsible adult would accept what is going on here."

Rachel and I were both free spirits, and she hated confrontation. "But I do, Walter."

I hid my smile at the way she eschewed his title.

He sniffed imperiously and raised a brow. "_Really_? You condone them sleeping together?"

She looked between me and Kat with a calm smile. "This isn't about you or me, Walter. It's about this wonderful relationship growing between them. And like any relationship, it needs care and nurturing for it to flower."

I swear I saw steam blowing out of Wally's ears. "That is complete bull. This boy has been nothing but a bad influence on my daughter. Kat lies all the time, and sneaks around behind my back. She even took this trip under false premises. Instead of heading out with the junior class, Kat took an unauthorized joy ride with this man-boy."

Rachel sighed. "I don't blame her, not even a little bit." Ignoring Walter's huff of disbelief, she continued, "I would do the same thing in her shoes."

Walter gave her the once over. "That doesn't surprise me."

I felt an unexpected charge of outrage. "Hey, watch it."

It was almost a relief to see the pointing finger come out to play. "Don't even start with me, son."

"Are you kidding me? My Mom opened her home to you, the least you can do is treat her with respect."

You could have heard a pin drop in that room. Rachel's hands flew to her cheeks and Walter and Kat's mouth formed identical O's as they stared at me.

Walter broke the stunned silence. "Is this true? I thought she was your aunt."

Kat chose that moment to step in. "So did we all, until the big reveal."

He looked only slightly mollified. "Is this what you meant by helping a friend in need?"

She nodded. "I told you it was complicated."

Walter looked over at me. "So why did you really drag my daughter up here?"

The simplest answer was closest to the truth. "I needed a ride."

"You couldn't have taken the bus?"

I smirked. "And get mauled by a horde of red hats? Not a chance."

He nodded slightly. "I suppose flying was out too."

"I'm broke." No need to mention my trust fund just yet.

Walter's next statement floored me. "You could have asked me for help."

Kat was equally nonplussed. "Why would he do that, Dad? You haven't exactly been supportive of our relationship."

"And why do you think that is, when I catch you skipping school to hang out on the beach?"

"We've been over that already, and I told you I don't want to sneak around anymore."

"Lip service," Walter said harshly. "What do you call this little trip?"

He did have a point, but I wasn't about to defend him.

"Dad, look, we made a mistake. It won't happen again."

"Damned straight it won't. Pack your bags. We're leaving."

I swear to God, if Kat could have gotten away with stamping her foot down and throwing a tantrum, she would have.

"No, Dad, we're not. I am a guest here, and I'm not leaving until Saturday."

"Kat, I am your father, and while you still live under my roof, you will obey the rules."

Rachel's alto tones cut through Wally's bluster. "Excuse me, but this is _my_ roof, and I make the rules here."

"Do you? Didn't know there were any," Wally said flippantly.

This was going nowhere fast, so I decided to nip it in the bud. "You can't force Kat to leave."

"Can't I? Watch me." He started grabbing up Kat's clothes and tossing them on the bed.

Kat ran over and touched his arm. "Be reasonable, Dad. We can discuss this in the morning, when everyone has clearer heads and a good night's sleep."

"OK, you want reasonable? Pack your things and come with me, and _maybe_ we can swing by tomorrow to chat."

"_Dad_," she protested. "Please try to understand…"

"I do understand, which is why we're going back to the hotel for the evening."

There really was no way out of this. Kat threw me a frustrated look, and I said, "It's OK. I'm not going anywhere."

She sighed, realizing we had to get Wally on board with us before we could move forward. "Are you sure?"

"Totally. Don't sweat it." I leaned over and kissed her forehead, ignoring Wally's irritated glance.

When she ran into the bathroom, he pointed to his eyes and back at me. "I'm not done with you either, Patrick."

I smirked in response, and laughed at the scowl imprinted on his face, practically glowing like a neon sign as he stalked out into the night with a reluctant Kat in tow. She looked back once and I waved.

Rachel bid me good night, but I was far from sleep at the moment, so I made my way to my favorite hammock. I watched the stars until the moon rose and dimmed the celestial display.

As lunar light washed across me, I suddenly realized Wally had used my first name.

It could be nothing, but maybe Wally realized that for better or worse, I was part of his daughter's life now.


	39. Chapter 39

39

[Kat]

Dad had found a comfortable suite hotel and I had my own space, where i spent half the night pacing and grinding my teeth in frustration. I didn't even have my phone, because Patrick still had it sequestered at Rachel's.

_It's OK, I'm not going anywhere._

He'd also promised not to break my heart, and I believed him.

So how did I convince my Dad that Patrick was the real deal, that his actions spoke louder than getting the right words out?

Dad's pointed questions had no answers.

**Does he love you?**

_I don't know._

_**What**_**? I can't believe you'd throw yourself away like that.**

_It's not like that, Dad._

**Then what is it like? **

_We respect the differences between us._

He'd snorted in disbelief.

**You think a boy will respect you once he's gotten what he wants?**

_As a matter of fact, yes._

Dad had looked at me in pity.

**Didn't Josh teach you anything? I thought you were smarter than that.**

_Patrick isn't going anywhere, Dad._

**Maybe he said that for my benefit.**

_He wouldn't do that, and you were obviously eavesdropping._

**Don't get snippy with me, young lady.**

_Sorry, but you heard it too. He doesn't lie._

**How can you be so sure? He barely talks.**

_Oh, he talks plenty. You just don't know him._

**Then enlighten me. What do you really know about him? Other than his blood mother is a liberal flake with loose morals.**

_Dad, you're being judgy._

**Oh, I'm sorry, was I supposed to give her a pass? Because history has a habit of repeating itself. **

It had gone downhill from there, and the lights went out with another word.

Which left me fuming and wondering how I could get us out of this with minimal loss of life.

[Patrick]

My eyes opened to the star spangled night and the distant sound of music. It drew me to my feet and I strained my ears to draw out more details, which sharpened into Bach's Suite No. 1.

I moved through the sliders and saw a light at the bottom of the cellar stairs. Padding silently down, I moved toward a patch of light spilling onto the deep-grained wood floor. I craned my neck and saw a lone figure with legs straddled around a cello.

A closer approach revealed Rachel, who was more than passable on the instrument. My weight creaked against a floor board and her head snapped up as if caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Patrick, did I wake you?"

"Nope." Her cello was lovingly cared for and had the patina of an antique instrument. "How long have you played?"

She wrapped her arms around the cello. "About 20 years."

"Why didn't you tell me?" It was weird, because Rachel was well aware that I played.

Rachel stood up and carried the cello over to its case. "Because of the memories."

"Yeah, what are those?"

Her hands stilled their movement. "I was in Italy in my 15th summer."

"I know all that. What else?" I asked impatiently, wishing she would just get on with it.

"I met someone...a cellist in the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia."

Rachel took something out of her pocket and handed it to me. It was a faded photo of a good-looking young man with piercing, dark eyes...the _same _eyes I saw in the mirror every day. "Is this my father?"

Her slight nod was barely imperceptible. "Paolo Veneroni. He was my first teacher."

"I bet he was." The words flew out and struck their mark.

Rachel paled slightly. "He was only 18, Patrick. A true virtuoso to be invited to such a prestigious orchestra. But a cellist's salary did not cover his expenses in Rome, so he took on students. Your grandfather sent me for lessons to get me out of the house."

I remembered the old bastard ruled with an iron fist, but had a soft spot for the single girl in the family. "How long did it last?"

"Twelve weeks, and then I returned to school in California."

My eyes closed on hearing the pain in her voice. "Where you discovered your pregnancy."

"Yes."

"Did you ever tell him?" That was the 64,000 dollar question.

"I did not."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because my father forbid me to contact or approach Paolo."

"Don't you think he deserved to know?"

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. "Yes."

"So why didn't you make it right after Grandpa died?"

"Because it was too late. I was halfway across the world."

"That's a lousy excuse. You should have told him."

Wet trails dotted her cheeks as she dabbed at her eyes. "You're right."

"And you should have told me sooner."

Rachel touched my arm and drew back her hand before I could shrug her off. "Patrick, I'm so sorry. I know you've suffered, but I can't undo the past."

"Then make it right now. Call this guy up and tell him about me."

"That's not possible."

My temper started shredding my formerly calm state. "Save the excuses. The guy deserves to know about me."

"Patrick, Paolo is gone."

"Gone?" Icy tendrils started clamping my heart and my anger fizzled out like a dead lump of charcoal.

"Dead. Took his own life ten years ago."

Thick emotion clogged my throat and shut down my vocal cords.

Rachel splashed some brandy into a glass and handed it to me. "Drink."

The alcohol burned a fiery path straight through me. "I...don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything. Try to sleep on it and we can revisit this tomorrow." Her cool tones belied the anguish that flashed in her eyes before she turned away.

I lowered myself to the floor and hugged my legs to my face, and was still in that position when the Stratfords appeared for our morning pow wow.


	40. Chapter 40

40

[Kat]

It was pure hell facing my Dad over hotel coffee, right from the packets they left scattered like business cards.

_Get your crappy coffee, straight from the never been cleaned pot._

I spit it out. "Can't we at least stop for some decent coffee?"

"No time. We have a long trip ahead of us, and as it is, we're being sidelined by this trip to nowhere."

"But Dad, I have business in the city on Friday." My back was up (it had never gone down) and I'd fight tooth and nail to stay in the area.

His brows raised. "Monkey business with your pet chimp?"

Now he was being mean. "I promised a group of friends to help save a show."

"_That's_ my girl," he said with a reluctant hint of pride. "Let me guess, an underground, feminist news magazine?"

"Not exactly."

Dad clapped his hands. "You're finally going mainstream?"

"Hardly."

"So what's so important that you're stalling for time?"

He saw the gambit for what it was. "God and Country."

Dad's face took on that lovely shade of puce that clashed horribly with his brown shirt. "Where did you get your hands on that filth? I locked down that station."

"Have you watched it?"

"Of course not!"

"Then how can you possibly know if it's bad TV?"

"Because, the PTC said it was pure evil."

I snickered. "Dad, you actually believe that line of crap they're feeding you?"

Puce turned to an ominous shade of storm warning red. "I forbid you to attend that rally."

"You _forbid _me?" I tried to suppress my laughter but it burst out of me like an out of control firecracker.

Dad pounded his fist. "Keep it up, and I'll lock you up for 20 consecutive life sentences"

"For having sex with my boyfriend, or for failing to meet your lofty expectations?"

"Enough!"

With a sigh, I grabbed a banana on the way to the car and spent the entire ten minute ride staring out at the waves and wishing I was anywhere but here.

[Patrick}

I knew the exact moment she arrived. The energy in the house became charged, and nearly burst into supernova status when Kat argued her way downstairs. She took them two at a time and found me huddled on the floor.

"Patrick," she said softly, opening her arms and wrapping herself around me as I hugged her like she was my last hope.

Her hair smelled incredible and I buried my face in it. "So glad you're here." My incessant need for her rose like an unbidden tsunami and threatened to overtake my senses.

She ran her fingers down the side of my face and slid down my arms to my hands. "Me too."

Her eyes were shiny with tears. "Don't be sad."

"I can't help it." Kat didn't realize the full extent of what I was going through, but we'd get to it soon enough.

I kissed her lips lightly, and that was all the invitation Kat needed. She leaned in and sucked on my lower lip, levering my mouth open with hers. I kept it light and soft, but those barely there touches were inflaming my senses. With a low growl, I deepened the kiss and pulled her into my lap. Our kisses were warm and passionate and could have easily led to sex on the spot. By the time we came up for air, we were both breathing hard. My shirt was opened to the waist and her tank top was yanked down on one side. "We better make ourselves presentable."

"Yeah." Kat kissed me hard on the lips before saying, "Let's file this under 'to be continued'."

She took my hand and we trudged up the stairs. Rachel and Wally were already sitting at the long dining room table, exchanging banal small talk. With a defiant glare, Kat kept my hand entangled in hers as we sat across from them. "Unless cooler heads have prevailed, I doubt we're any further along than yesterday," Kat said, firing the first salvo.

Rachel looked at the three of us. "At least we can agree that it's been an interesting week."

Wally looked like had swallowed sour pickle juice. "Bet you stole that from a fortune cookie."

"Could be," Rachel said with a faint smile. "How can we make this work for everyone?"

"You want an honest answer, or a varnished, politically correct response?" Wally said with a gleam in his eyes.

"Dad," Kat warned, only slightly mollified by my hand tightening around hers.

Walter looked straight at me. "I don't trust you with my daughter. She's wild and out of control."

That was completely true, but not for the reasons he thought. "And you think I have her completely in my thrall?" I matched his glare with an eyebrow raise that was guaranteed to drive him nuts.

"Interesting word choice," Walter said. "Not what I would have used, but yes, I think you are a bad influence on Kat."

Kat and I exchanged glances before she said, "Dad, do I strike you as someone who is easily led?"

"Not until now."

She sighed. "So you think my evil twin has invaded my body and turned me into a sex fiend?"

"Don't mock, Katarina."

Ooh, we were using full names now. Not a good omen.

"What else am I supposed to do? You simply can't accept that I am growing up, and am making choices you don't approve of."

That pretty much nailed it.

"While you are under my roof, you will follow my rules."

Rachel poured out some coffee and handed it around, silently acting as hostess while we hashed this out. If things got ugly, I knew she would step in and throw Wally out on his ass. She looked at Walter and said, "And what rules are those, Walter?"

"No boys in her bedroom, no late night visits, no riding on motorcycles, and no more dates with Patrick."

Rachel's gentle smile held no malice. "That's not going to work."

"Really? So I should just let them have hot bunny sex whenever they feel like it?"

"Nobody's saying that."

"Then what are you saying? Let nature take its course?" Walter sipped at his coffee and waited with thinly veiled anticipation.

"Give them a chance before you crap all over them," Rachel said bluntly, earning an approval point for standing up to Wally the Warden.

"Mercy, is that what I'm doing?" Wally held his hands up to his face in mock humiliation.

Kat sighed. "Dad, spare us the sarcasm."

"And this, coming from the girl who lives and dies for the rights of cynics everywhere."

This was getting us nowhere. "Look, it's like this. We want to be together, and we don't see what the big deal is."

"Oh, really?"

"That's right, Dad."

"You're delusional, Katerina. Do you think harboring some fantasy that he loves you makes it true?"

We were finally down to it, and I'd have to put up or lose my chance with her forever. "It _does_," I said forcefully, returning Walter's stony gaze with my coldest, fiercest stare.

"What are you saying?" Walter looked way too smug, and I wanted to kick his chair out from under him.

"You _know _what I'm saying."

"How _can _I? As Kat points out, I hardly know you."

"You want me to spell it out?"

"Yes." Wally didn't think I was capable of stringing sentences together, let alone read at a grade level far higher than mine.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Looking over at Kat, I said, "I'm pretty sure I fell for you when you nearly took me out with a car door."

"Really?" Kat said with a tiny squee of excitement.

"Yeah." I leaned over and kissed her cheek, daring Wally with my eyes to make a fuss. "Is that clear enough for you, sir?"

"It will do. And your intentions?"

"I made a promise to Kat that I'd never break her heart, and I meant it."

She looked at her Dad. "We're better together than apart, Dad. Please give Patrick a chance to prove himself."

Walter looked far calmer than he had at the start. "I'll think about it."

That was the best we'd get for now. "You do that," I said quietly, pulling Kat to her feet and throwing my arm around her waist. "And now if you don't mind, I'd like to say good-bye to Kat."

Wally stood there gawking at me, so I added, "_Privately_."

Kat and I smirked as we practically skipped out of the kitchen, down the back stairs, and out to the back of the garage where I'd unleash the feelings I'd held at bay for so long.


	41. Chapter 41

41

This section is rated M.

[Kat]

The golden light of early morning bathed his face as he said, "That went well."

That was debatable. "Think about it doesn't mean yes."

Patrick wound his arm through mine and tugged me down the hill. "Then we'll have to change his mind."

His pace quickened and we ran down to the walkway skirting the cliff. "Whisking me away should do the trick."

He stopped suddenly and pulled me down on top of him. "Don't tempt me."

And then he was kissing me as if for the first time, saliva mixing with sea salt as he inhaled me. "Too late," I said when my head stopped spinning

His dark eyes searched mine. "So I said some things in there..."

"Yeah, don't sweat it." I pretended it didn't matter, even though this could well be a defining moment for us.

"It isn't how I pictured it." Patrick tucked some of my wayward hair behind my ear.

"What?" I looped one of his thick curls around my finger like a ring.

He nuzzled my ear with his nose. "Loving someone."

My eyes flew open as he teased my lobe with his teeth. "How is it supposed to be?" I said breathlessly.

"More like this." He wrapped his arms around me and flipped me underneath him.

"Mmm," was all I got out before he stole my breath away. "I need more convincing."

His warm hands ranged up under my shirt and skimmed under the swell of my breasts. "How am I doing?"

I wanted to feel his hot, naked skin against me. "More like this," I said, watching his face as I got to my feet and pulled off my tank top.

His eyes were glazed over with desire as he lowered his head to taste me. My back arched when he took me in his mouth, and I moaned when his thumb traced the outline of my zipper. "Better?"

"Oh, yeah." I kissed him deeply, memorizing every delicious aspect of him before my Dad ripped me from his side. My pants pooled at my feet as I stepped out of them and kicked them aside.

Patrick's T-shirt magically melted from his torso and I reveled in rubbing against him, fingers and lips tangling in his chest hair as I sampled his wares. "We should stop."

Laughter vibrated through his chest and reverberated through me from head to toe. "Think it's too late for that."

We both yanked at his jeans and laughed when they got stuck on the way down. "Not what my Dad had in mind."

Patrick's laugh was so delicious that I opened my arms and let him in.

We tossed and twisted as we made love, furiously giving and taking as our bodies pounded at each other. Just before I caved in to desire, Patrick picked me up in his arms and continued thrusting as he carried me to the stone bench. Lowering me at an angle, he deepened his penetration and slowed way down. My head flew back, and that's when I saw my Dad and Rachel at the crest of the hill. "God, they'll see us."

He stopped for a moment, looking down at me with open adoration. "Don't care."

His sudden thrust nearly split me in two. "God god god," I said when his hand joined in the rhythm and sent me spiraling off the cliff.

I clenched around him as he picked up the pace and finally collapsed against me, breath hissing against my ear. "Beautiful." His soft murmur undid me and I started kissing him, my body firing itself up against as I undulated against him.

"Gorgeous." I looked down on him as I straddled him, my eyes closing when his fingers swirled around and brought me to oblivion once again.

Patrick pulled me down and wrapped his arms around me. "I have a lot to tell you."

"Pillow talk."

He smiled before kissing my hair. "Best kind of talk."

"My window is always open."

"Better not let that get out." His deep, silky voice sent shivers down my spine and I gave him one last kiss before sneaking back to my pile of clothes.

[Patrick]

We walked back hand in hand and I smiled at Wally's suspicious glance. "What took you so long?"

"Hot monkey sex," Kat said with a wide grin.

Walter rolled his eyes. "Nobody is that fast."

"Yeah? You must be doing something wrong."

His face reddened slightly as he looked over at Rachel. "We've been chatting. Kat, how would you like to stay up here through Friday?"

Kat looked like she couldn't believe it. "Here, as in, across the hall from Patrick?"

"Not quite. I don't have to be back until Sunday, and Bianca is at her camp all week with Chastity and Dawn."

"That would be awesome," she said, fingers squeezing mine in reassurance.

"What changed your mind?" I wanted to know what the catch was, for there was no such thing as a free lunch.

"The voice of reason, who makes the best lemon poppyseed muffins I've ever tasted." Walter inclined his head at Rachel, who beamed at us from behind him.

"And the best Belgian waffles," Kat said.

"How about we visit the city on Friday? You can attend your rally, and then we can see the sights," Rachel said.

Kat's face turned slightly green, and I wondered if she was having second thoughts about picketing with a bunch of strangers. "Sounds like a plan."

I threaded my arm through hers. "Don't worry, I'll protect you if they decide to turn on you."

"That's so comforting." She smacked my arm and laughed when I made a face.

"Look at us, we're like an old married couple already."

That earned me a tap on my other arm and I swiped at her playfully. When Walter raised a brow, I kissed her full on the lips and said, "Later, Stratford."


	42. Chapter 42

42

[Patrick]

Rachel and I were sitting down to lunch when Jason arrived home with Liana. They unloaded groceries and with my help, things were quickly put away. Lunch conversation was a pleasant hum that set me at ease and ended with Liana crawling into my lap and falling asleep.

"She's right at home." Rachel cleaned up the dishes while my sister slumbered.

"Guess so," I said quietly, realizing this was a new experience for me. Her soft curls smelled like baby shampoo with a side of mac and cheese.

"Seems to like you," Jason observed.

"Imagine that," I said cynically.

Rachel's smile slipped a notch. "Get over yourself, Patrick."

"Meaning?"

"Not everyone in your life is against you."

Rachel's eyes held mine and the turmoil I saw there matched my emotions to a T. "Yeah? So what?"

Her huff of impatience told me I better not push her any further. "If you're done wallowing, I'll take Liana off your hands."

"With pleasure." My face was turned away as I handed over Liana, so Rachel didn't see how much this bothered me.

I watched them retreat toward the nursery and my shoulders sagged at another missed opportunity. Jason was stationed at the sink washing dishes, which gave me plenty of time to sneak past him. The motorcycle was beckoning me, and I had the helmet in hand when he caught up with me. "Not so fast."

My defenses were up. "What?" I said shortly.

"Your attitude isn't helping."

He was right, but I wasn't about to give in. "Do I look like I care?"

Jason's mild face tightened at my tone. "You can't keep running away from your problems."

"Yeah? Just watch me." I fished the keys from my pocket and in a flash, Jason knocked them out of my hands.

"You're not going anywhere until you hash it out with Rachel."

I threw the helmet on the ground and started walking toward the road. "Think you can stop me?"

Jason was at my side in the blink of an eye. "Not a chance, which is why I'm coming with you."

He was in fantastic shape, and there was no way I could outrun him. "I prefer my own company."

"Of course you do, but like it or not, we're family, and family sticks together."

That stopped me in my tracks. I looked at my feet for a second to compose myself, then finally nodded my head. "OK."

"Seriously?"

I caught his gaze and nodded again. "Sure."

Rachel wiped her eyes. "Ask me anything."

"You won't like my questions."

She shrugged. "Ask away."

"Why'd you do it?"

"What?"

"Give me up." It grew so quiet I could hear the crickets chirping outside the porch.

"I was 16. What else was I supposed to do?"

That was the easy answer, but not the right one. "Raise me as your own."

Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Because, I wasn't emotionally equipped to take care of a kid."

"And Lauren was?"

Rachel sighed. "In the beginning, sure."

"How could you possibly know that? Did you take a poll?"

She shrank back slightly. "Leo and Lauren had three miscarriages before you came along. They wanted a child, and it seemed like the right thing at the time."

I had loved my Dad more than anything in the world, until the world took him away from me. "And look how perfect your little life turned out."

"It's _not _like that." Rachel's hoarse voice was like a deep wound, scraped to the raw.

"Yeah? Looks pretty sweet from here." I looked around me and swept my arms dramatically as if taking in a view.

"I worked hard to get where I am."

I snorted. "Says the girl with the silver spoon in her mouth."

Her dark blue eyes were black with anger. "You don't know anything."

"Then enlighten me."

"I'm trying here, Patrick. How about meeting me halfway?"

I bit into the apple I'd grabbed from the kitchen table and spit out the bitter fruit. "Huh. Sour apple. No thanks."

Her face turned the color of parchment. "What's really the issue here, Pat? Are you pissed because I gave you up, or because I didn't tell you the truth until yesterday?"

"All of it." My jaw muscles had hardened to granite and were aching like a mother. "And don't tell me Lauren put the fear of God in you, because I'm not buying it."

"OK, I screwed up. Are you happy? I'm a coward, because I thought she'd change her tune and be a real mother to you. And by the time I realized what was going on, it was too late to make amends."

My voice hissed like rain hitting the hot pavement. "So you sat idly by, knowing my life was a shit hole and doing nothing about it."

Tears ran freely down her face. "I did my best, Patrick. I never claimed to be perfect."

"Don't worry, you're not approaching Jesus status anytime soon."

Rachel's deep sigh rattled the magazine on the table between us. "As for Jason and Liana, I knew you wouldn't understand, especially after hearing the truth."

"Well, you were right about that at least."

Her eyes pleaded with me. "I knew you'd see this life, and completely see everything that was missing in your own."

She'd completely nailed it. "Right again."

Rachel started to reach for my hand but withdrew when I thrust it in my pocket. "Tell me how I can make it up to you."

"You can't."

Those two simple words rang in the air as I got to my feet and headed out the door at a dead run.


	43. Chapter 43

Note: I am sorry for the short update, and how long it took me to get this up. I was away on vacation, and unfortunately, I am also plagued with debilitating nerve pain in my neck, arm, and right hand. It hurts me to type anything, so it may take me longer to wrap up this story than I intended.

43

[Kat]

I sat on the sofa eying CNN and flipping through a worn out copy of US News and World Report. Dad was singing tunelessly in the shower and his rendition of Celine Dion's Love Can Move Mountains was so terrifying that I was probably scarred for life.

We'd hit the road and were practically back to the hotel before I realized my phone was still with Patrick. But with luck, I could get out a message before Dad finished up for the day.

I called Rachel's house twice on the hotel phone, but got voice mail both times. Then I tried calling Patrick's cell phone, but that too went straight to voice mail. With only one idea left in my bag of tricks, I texted Patrick with Dad's phone and told him to please free my phone from its bondage and contact me back as soon as possible.

There was no response, and after ten minutes passed, I figured it was a lost cause.

The news was starting to bore me, so I flipped through two dozen channels devoid of anything approaching coherent or intelligent. Maybe some fresh air would revive my sagging spirits, so I scribbled a note to my Dad and headed down the road to the state beach.

My jacket flapped in the breeze as I removed my shoes and dug my toes into the sand. It anchored me as I looked out to sea, barely noticing the colorful swirl of kites slicing through the cerulean sky. Kids screamed happily as the waves caught them, and a nearby couple canoodled until someone loudly told them to get a room.

I smiled absently, glad to be here and feel the warmth of the late day sun hitting my neck. That happy moment was interrupted by a shadow blotting out my sun beam, and I jumped to my feet with bunched fists, ready to take off the head of whomever dared to rain on my parade.

My mouth opened and then snapped abruptly shut at the sight of Patrick looming over me. He offered his hand wordlessly and I took it as he pulled me along to the surf.

[Patrick]

I arrived at the beach with the full intent of clearing my head, only to find Kat taking in the local scene. Her sunglasses (god, she looked hot) framed her lovely face, and my senses drank in her prickly essence until I was dizzy with her.

After a long pause, I finally walked up to her and smirked at the way she rounded on me. With a grin, I tugged on her hand and was surprised when she followed along without argument.

We walked for a good ten minutes before I spoke. "I had it out with Rachel."

Kat felt the tension rippling in my arm and touched my shoulder. "How did it go?"

I stopped and dug my foot into the sand. "How do you think it went? I shot off my mouth and stormed out on her."

Her face scrunched up sympathetically and that's when it all came spilling out of me. Once I started telling her, I couldn't bottle it back up. I gave her the full history as far as I knew it, and even tossed in the bits about trust funds, and what was left of mine. "What am I supposed to say, thanks for my life? I don't feel very grateful right now."

Kat touched the side of my face. "Nor should you."

My fingers closed over hers and we drank each other in for a long beat. "Thanks."

She cocked her head inquisitively. "For what?"

"Being you." My mouth closed over hers and I swear my heart was trip-hammering when Kat deepened the kiss. Her arms wound around my neck as she stood on tiptoe, meshing her body to mine as she gave herself over to kissing me so thoroughly that I was in orbit by the time she finished.

"So, tomorrow?" I said huskily.

"Mmm hmmm."

As she started turning away, I suddenly remembered something. "Hey, hold up."

Kat swung back to me with a beatific smile and I dropped her phone into her outstretched hand. "Finally."

"Thought you might need that."

"Oh, yeah, you have something in mind?" Her slightly flirtatious tone raised a whole word of possibilities.

"Besides some late night sexting? Not a thing."

She shook her head at my audacity. "In your dreams."

"Oh, please." I held up my hands as if to beg and was warmed by the sound of her laugh as she waved and moved off to return to Warden Wally.


	44. Chapter 44

44

[Kat]

Jason's van was the only vehicle large enough to seat everyone, so that was the chosen ride for our get to know you day in San Francisco.

Predictably, Dad sat between me and Patrick in the back row. "Now isn't this cozy?" he said with maniacal glee.

Patrick rolled his eyes over my Dad's head. "All that's missing is my snuggie."

Dad looked at Patrick with a raised brow. "Is that the latest fashion for deep-voiced man boys?"

"Naw, but it's a great way to pick up chicks."

I hid a smile behind my hand as Dad said, "That's how he got into your good graces?"

"Yeah, it totally boggles, doesn't it?" It was good to see a smile on Patrick's face, even if it was at Dad's expense.

Dad mouthed the word boggles at me and I shrugged. "His use of the vernacular totally slayed me. What can I say?"

Liana was watching us from her perch in the second row and she giggled when Dad made a funny face at her. "Cute kid."

Patrick saw another opportunity to get in Dad's face. "Can't take all the credit, but thanks."

Dad nearly spit out his coffee as those words hit home. "You can't be...seriously, Rachel, your boy is..."

"Twisted? Crazy? Full of himself?" I said while Patrick contorted his features.

Rachel said, "All of the above."

"I thought today was about getting acquainted, not pranks and getting punk'd," Dad said acidly.

Patrick slapped Dad's shoulder. "Hey, that's all part of the fun, Wall...Walter."

Dad looked down at the imaginary imprint of Patrick's digits before giving him the hairy Stratford eyeball. "Oh, so it's fun you want? Why don't we start with Manners 101?"

"Umm, Dad, he was joking."

Dad slapped his forehead. "Of _course _he was. So in the spirit of _fun_, you can address me as Dr. Stratford. Think you can handle that, man boy?"

I dug my elbow into Dad's side. "And _you _can address him as Patrick."

Patrick huffed impatiently. "And _I_ can speak for myself, thank you very much."

We breathed a collective sigh of relief as the city came into view, and everyone quieted down as we descended toward our first stop, PTV Studios.

[Patrick]

I knew it was a mistake as soon as we jumped down. Chicks with head-bashing signs circled the entrance and jeered at anyone dumb enough to cross their line and actually attempt to earn a paycheck. "Remind me why this was a good idea?"

Kat bumped my fist with hers. "Solidarity."

"That was Lech Wałęsa, not save your dumb cable show," I reminded her, enjoying her wide-eyed surprise that..._gasp_...I'd listened in world history.

"You pick that up in Classics Illustrated?" Kat eyed the crowd uneasily as we stood on the fringes.

"See, I _knew _there was a reason I liked you. Tell me you didn't take ownership of Wally's entire collection." I'd stolen most of mine from the local library, but who ever read those anyway besides geeks and dusty collectors on eBay?

Kat laughed. "It was Uncle Jimmy's, and he never missed them."

"You _stole _them?"

"Sssh, people will get the wrong idea," she said, still keeping the throng at a safe distance while we scoped it out.

"And you care about them because?" I scowled at a few ladies giving me the eye and when one seemed ready to touch me, I jumped sideways and yelled, "Hands off the merchandise."

"Yeah, he's taken," Kat said with crossed arms and her fiercest expression.

"And who are you?" the woman demanded.

"Kat Stratford," Kat said. "Just heard about this protest and decided to lend a hand."

"She meant your name on the boards." This came from a ditzy looking blonde with an oversized handbag.

I smirked. "Inquiring minds want to know."

Kat scowled at me. "Thanks," she hissed before baring her teeth at our growing audience. "I'm Brownie."

"Wow, bet a lot of thought went into that name," I said giddily, sidestepping Kat's swat and watching recognition bloom like a mushroom cloud.

The older lady shook her finger at Kat. "_You're_ the sellout."

"Excuse me?" Kat's face was morphing to that charming shade of beet red she shared with Wally.

"Trish gave us the scoop," the blonde said with a smirk. "She said you promised to help organize this rally, then bailed on her over some guy."

"That's not true." But the look in my direction pointed the flaming arrow of guilt straight at her.

The finger shaker gave me the once over. "He's a distraction. Get rid of him."

Before I could voice my outrage, Kat beat me to the punch. "And how is that your business?"

The scary lady advanced one step closer. "Because, I'm Trish's second in command, and he doesn't belong here."

"Wanna make a bet?" I said with a smirk. "I love the show, and am Sully's biggest fan."

Kat's mouth dropped opened as I continued stoking the fannish fire. "What, you think G&C is your exclusive property?"

Scary Lady stuttered, "N-no, but you don't fit the mold."

"Huh?"

Kat leaned over and said, "She means gay."

My laugh was phonier than a three dollar bill. "Oh, now it all makes sense. What's a straight guy to do?"

The blonde looked at me flirtatiously. "Go audition for Vampire Diaries."

"Ooh, do I get to sparkle?" I clapped my hands together and ignored Kat's eye roll.

Blondie stepped closer and dared to touch my arm. "Only some serious smoldering."

Kat pushed the blonde aside. "Thanks, but we'll pass."

"We?" the blonde said.

"I'm his agent, and VD is strictly minor league."

Between Kat's brilliant line of BS and the way she'd shrunk the show name to a pointless acronym, I was nearly beside myself. "I'm strictly a film star."

"Ooh, the adult kind?"

This was too much for me, and I grinned back at her. "Not yet, but that's definitely a step up from snuff films."

Her face turned even whiter than her bad dye job. "Wow, that's..."

"I know, it gives me shivers."

Blondie edged toward the safety of Scary Lady, who gave me a dirty look. "Maybe you both should leave."

That was the best advice I'd heard all day. I looked over at Kat, who nodded and said, "Let's get out before they change their minds."


	45. Chapter 45

45

Note: My writing was gratefully assisted by The Chemical Brothers and School of Seven Bells. Bliss out.

[Kat]

Patrick looked inordinately pleased with himself. "That was easy."

"And you're the Staples poster child, but that's not important right now," I said, lobbing an Airplane reference over the wall.

"But surely it is." Patrick grinned easily as we hopped on a cable car with a crowd of tourists.

Tossing it back, I bared my teeth at him and said, "Nope, and stop calling me Shirley."

"Bet you were waiting all day to say that." He nuzzled my ear and I settled happily into the warm cave of his arms as we turned a corner and headed toward Fisherman's Wharf.

"More like all year. I only trot my Airplane references out for important events."

"I'm honored. What's the occasion?"

"Me, giving up on a cause," I said quietly, a tiny part of me feeling like I had let down my comrades in arms.

Patrick kissed my cheek and let his lips linger. "Aww, don't sweat it. The game was up before you came out swinging."

"That's not helping."

"Hmm, maybe this will." Patrick's warm lips captured mine and kissed me so slowly that I felt like I was suspended in time. When we jumped off at the wharf stop, I felt slightly drunk with passion and stumbled against him.

"Instant replay," I demanded as he took my hand.

"Can't."

"Why not?" His thumb caressed my palm as we followed the crowd toward the sunning sea lions on Pier 39.

Patrick leaned in and his whisper traveled through me like liquid ecstasy. "Because that kiss makes me want to rip your clothes off."

I grinned like a mad woman. "We have two hours. Just think of all the damage we could do."

This time his hands cupped my bottom as he pulled me in for another kiss, this one rougher and far more demanding than the last one. Patrick broke apart to pull me behind a kiosk, where his mouth landed on my neck and traveled to my collarbone before returning to my mouth. "I like the sound of that," he murmured against my lips.

"Knew you would." I was distracted by the feel of his hand playing with my zipper. "But you know we can't."

"Not to mention that your Dad would skin me alive."

"And here I thought _you _were the flesh-eating cannibal." I laughed when he rolled his eyes.

"That is so last week. I've moved on to soul-sucking. Any interest?"

"Only in the sucking part."

[Patrick]

The plan was to meet up with our folks at the Japanese Tea Garden. Kat and I joked back and forth on the bus about our parental units. "My ears are burning. Dad must be handing out his childbirth videos along with a list of thou shalt nots."

"Don't worry. Rachel can handle Wally."

She smiled. "Dad's the one I'm worried about."

"_Seriously_?" I envisioned Wally's famous 'I'm watching you' glare with the pointing finger of doom. "He's the stuff of nightmares."

"And cupcake binges."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the visual."

Her smile widened. "Hey, at least we can lay the legend of Patrick the Nightwalker to rest."

"_You _set those Twilight fans on me?" The vampire jokes helped me avoid the mess waiting at home.

"Could be." Kat pulled out a heavily dog-eared copy of The Feminine Mystique. "But I prefer Friedan to Meyer any day of the week."

I smirked. "That looks like Rachel's copy."

"A woman after my own heart."

Warmth stole through me at this admission. "She likes us together."

Kat closed her book and leaned her head against my shoulder. "It's not enough."

"Yeah, so what? I can handle anything the warden throws at me."

"Even if he locks me in the tower?"

I nudged her gently. "I'll sneak in through the open door."

She smiled tiredly and wrapped her arm through mine. "Of course you will."

We got to our stop and as we hopped to the pavement, we bumped fists. "Solidarity," I said, deliberately using her earlier word and smirking when her face lit up.


	46. Chapter 46

46

[Kat]

Dad was sitting on a bench with Liana when we strolled up. "Looks like you have a new fan," I said lightly.

He made a pleased sound in his throat. "Unlike your show."

That was the first sour note. "Thanks for reminding me."

"How did it go? Did you storm the fort?"

Patrick rested his hand on my back for moral support. "Not exactly."

Dad wiped crumbs from Liana's face with a napkin. "What, no channeling your inner Joan of Arc?"

"'Fraid not."

I watched the emotions play on Dad's face as he looked between me and Patrick. "Thought you never gave up."

"Only on lost causes." I took Patrick's hand firmly in mine and returned Dad's hard stare.

"Is that so? What makes you think this is any different from all your other causes?"

Patrick's fingers flexed and I knew he was annoyed. "Look, can we just go in?"

"And interrupt this delightful repartee?"

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, where are your manners? Let's not keep our hosts waiting."

Dad took Liana by the hand, which caused Patrick to tighten his grip again. "Do you mind?" Patrick said with a raised brow.

"Excuse me?" Dad was taken slightly aback at Patrick's tone.

"She's _my_ sister_."_

"Only your sister?" Dad said, reminding Patrick of his earlier sally.

Their mutual glares were almost comical, but I was tired of the posturing. I slipped my hand out of Patrick's and moved toward the entrance, hoping he would get the hint and follow me. But when I glanced back, they were still poised for battle. Liana clung to Dad's leg and looked so miserable that I opened my arms and smiled when she came running. I scooped her up and said, "Have fun with your pissing contest."

[Patrick]

Wally thought he could use fancy words and talk over me. And that cryptic crap he tossed at Kat? Totally uncool. OK, maybe I brought some of this on myself with my indifference to education, but every bit of that exchange resonated with me. The knife twisted each time he insulted me, and nearly came to a head when he turned his back and stalked into the garden without another word.

"That went well," I said under my breath.

The admission price cleaned me out, and I wondered if I should hold out my tin cup and beg for tea. With a smirk, I wound my way around baby carriages and nearly got beaned by a kid tossing rocks into the drink. By the time I reached the pavilion, I was ready to reclaim my flesh-eating status and skewer the first person who crossed me. Rachel waved me over and slid sideways on the bench. Tea and cookies were waiting for me and I nodded my thanks before inhaling all of it. "So how bad was it?" I said quietly.

Rachel sighed. "We reached an understanding."

I snorted. "No wonder your nose is brown."

Her lips quivered slightly. "It wasn't like that."

"Yeah, how was it?"

She gazed at me thoughtfully. "Fruitful."

"Did he threaten to skin me alive?"

"Not yet."

"Shave me bald?"

Rachel ruffled my hair absently. "Don't worry, it'll grow back."

I made a face. "My boyfriend in juvie will love that."

She snickered before looking toward Walter and Kat, who were emoting with their hands. I dove in feet first and said, "So, the suspense is killing me. What's the verdict?"

Walter folded his hands on the table and regarded me sternly. "I had a long talk with your folks."

That almost made me sit up straight, but I stopped myself at the last second. "Yeah?"

"They explained your situation."

The sympathy in Wally's eyes struck me forcibly. "Lame, I know, but..."

Wally waved his hand to cut me off. "I think we can help each other."

"Really?" I was slightly rattled by this development, and saw my confusion mirrored in Kat's eyes.

"Yes, really. Rachel said you're handy around the house, and I can use the help."

I stared at my newfound mother and she nodded reassuringly. "It's OK, Pat. It's all good."

"Are you kidding me? If he expects freebies, he can keep it."

Walter tapped the table impatiently. "_He_ is sitting right here, son."

When had I graduated from man boy to son? "What's the catch?" I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

Kat licked her lips anxiously and fidgeted while the silence between us grew. Walter finally grew tired of the staring contest and said, "I'll pay you a fair wage in return for odd jobs. I _know_ you can paint, and you can reattach Kat's door at a time of my choosing."

She groaned and nibbled at her lower lip. "How am I supposed to study without a door?"

"Not my problem, missy."

"Huh. There's always the local library."

Walter shook his head. "You and Man Boy will come straight to the house after school each day. Both of you will study, and after I feed everyone, I'll put you both to work."

Guess I was firmly in the dog house. Heading off Kat's anticipated meltdown, I said, "_Ooh_, side by side?"

His face reddened at my tone. "In your dreams."

I couldn't resist jabbing him again. "Only if you're in them," I said mockingly.

Wally didn't take the bait. "As for your living arrangements..."

My hand waved him off. "Don't sweat it. The local park is good enough for me."

Rachel dug her elbow into my side. "Can you be serious for one second?"

"Trust me, you won't like serious."

"I think we can handle it," Walter said.

"You want me to lay it out? OK, I don't appreciate you guys making plans behind my back. It's my life, and when I turn 18 in June, I can do whatever I want."

"Everyone knows that, Pat," Rachel said.

Her calm tone knocked the wind out of my sails. "OK, so what's in it for me?"

"Easy money," Walter said.

I had the distinct feeling he would treat this like boot camp. "Yeah, in what universe? I have a job at the local garage that pays way more than whatever crumbs you'll throw at me."

"How does ten bucks an hour sound?"

That was close to what I made now. "That's fair. But I don't need two jobs."

Kat touched my arm. "You should reconsider. Rents are pretty high right now."

Damn, I hadn't considered that. "You're right."

Everyone stayed quiet and examined me like I was a bug under a microscope. "So what do you say?" Walter asked finally.

"I'll think about it."

And that was all the answer they were getting for now.


	47. Chapter 47

47

[Kat]

Lunch was an understated feast at a swanky Chinatown restaurant. Pristine walls with silk prints surrounded us like a womb, and I felt embraced by the warmth of the handsome waiter. When I ordered in Mandarin, he grinned flirtatiously and complimented me on my diction. "You speak like a native," he said in perfect English.

I smiled and said,"I owe it all to Rosetta."

The waiter walked off to put in our order. As I sipped at my tea, Patrick leaned in and said, "Is this a regular thing?"

"What?"

"Flirting with the staff."

My Dad coughed suddenly, but I caught the snicker before he gulped down some water. "You OK, Dad?"

"Peachy."

Patrick was still waiting for a response, so I said, "You should talk."

"Don't turn this around on me."

"Why not? You do it all the time."

Patrick rolled his eyes and said, "I knew it was too good to last."

I didn't like the sound of this. "What?"

"Us. Not fighting."

Our 'rental units ignored us and suffused the air with inane small talk. They skirted politics and discussed weather, the state of their gardens, and the stock market. While they continued to prattle on, I touched Patrick's hand and said, "That didn't qualify as a fight."

"No? Sure felt like one." The jealous edge to his voice was unmistakable.

"There's no need to worry."

His guard dropped slightly. "About?"

"Other guys."

Patrick's face relaxed slightly. "Who said I was worried?"

I caught a flash of vulnerability before he shuttered his emotions. "You did."

It took a moment for that to register. "Don't play shrink with me."

"Wouldn't think of it."

He was still annoyed, so I ignored the waiter's smile when he returned to fill our water glasses. The food finally came and I picked up my chopsticks with relish and dug in. Patrick watched me for a moment and with a faint smile, he said, "Showoff."

I smiled back and his grin widened. "Always."

"Don't ever change, Stratford."

Patrick's sherry eyes caressed my face and overwhelmed me with heat. "Never."

As I returned my attention to my vegetarian lo mein, I felt his finger curl around mine. We exchanged heated glances yet again, and for the rest of the meal, our lower legs intertwined under the snowy white tablecloth. The food was excellent, and by the time we traipsed down the stairs to the street, I was ready for a nap. Patrick snaked his arm around me and pulled me behind a kiosk. His lips were on mine before I could react, and our tongues were fully engaged by the time the 'rents stumbled into the sunshine. "Now where did they get off to?"

Patrick's hands were ranging down my sides at the exact moment Liana peeked around the cart with a big grin. "Dere dey are."

We both laughed and fell into step behind Dad, who shook his head and muttered something under his breath. Jason pulled up in the van and we headed off to our next adventure at Coit Tower. The ride over was mercifully quiet, punctuated only by Liana's frequent giggles.

There were school buses crowding the base of the tower, and as I crossed the parking lot with Patrick, I spotted a familiar logo. "Look there."

His eyes followed my pointing finger. "What are the odds?"

The words _San Diego Unified School District_ seemed to mock us from the side of the bus. "This day gets better and better."

We moved into the queue for tickets, and that's when I heard the unmistakable accent of my least favorite Brit. With the perfect timing that only seems to happen in movies, Blank turned around and spotted us. He offered me a half smile and ignored Patrick completely as he returned his attention to Tabitha Cook, who dismissed us both with a smug glance.

"Douche," Patrick said, fingers tightening on my forearm as we moved forward.

"Plural."

[Patrick]

We got to the top of the tower and were accosted by Douche. "Fancy meeting you here," Blank said.

"Amazing coincidence," Kat said, tucking her arm through mine and clearly establishing we were together.

"Do you believe in fate, Stratford?" Blank asked, completely focused on Kat like I was invisible.

"Not really."

"How can you ignore the signs when fate keeps throwing us together?" Douche said silkily.

"Are you kidding me, Grasshopper?" My fist came up and he jumped aside just in time.

Blank smirked from a safe distance. "I applaud your knowledge of 70s television."

"Of course you do."

Kat felt my forward movement and stepped in front of me. "He's not worth it."

Blank made the mistake of jumping in where he wasn't wanted. "And she can do _so _much better than you, Verona."

She whirled on Blank and shoved him back. "That's _my _choice, and none of your business."

"You know I'm right."

"You're so full of shit..."

Blank interrupted her tirade. "What's left when you get tired of holding hands and swapping spit?"

"Plenty."

"And what happens when you go off to Brown? Will your grease monkey be following you East?"

"You're an ass," Kat said acidly, but that sudden question stirred up a wave of doubt in me.

"Maybe so, but it's a fair question."

I stepped forward. "What's it to you, Willy?"

Blank's mouth tightened. "You really want an answer to that?"

"Yeah, I really do."

"She's too good for you, and sooner or later, she'll realize her mistake."

"Wow, and I bet you'll be waiting with open arms."

Blank folded his arms. "Depend on it."

"You think I'm holding her back."

"I _know _you are."

Kat suddenly jabbed me in the side. "Cut it, Patrick."

"He started it."

"Don't care. If you sink to his level, you're no better than he is."

"Indeed," Blank said, which earned him the hairy eyeball.

"Nobody asked you," Kat said.

"But you value my opinion..."

"Past tense."

"I don't believe that."

"It's over, Grasshopper." I put my face right in his and we exchanged testosterone-fogged glares.

"Stop calling me that infernal title."

"Ooh, have I offended thee?"

"Your mere presence is an offense," Blank said testily.

"Then let's be away," I said to Kat.

"With pleasure, good sir," she said, continuing our little farce until we got to the elevator and escaped the wrath of Willy the Douche.

As we rode down, I asked, "What did you ever see in him?"

"Less than nothing."

"Huh. He seems to think there's something."

"Other than his overinflated ego? I highly doubt it."

"Thing is, some of it made sense."

We got to the ground floor and she took me aside. "All that stuff about college? Forget about it."

"And why should I do that?"

"Because," she said, putting her hands up against my chest. "I chose you. Now can we forget about Douche and enjoy the rest of our day?"

I would have returned the gesture, but I doubt Wally would have appreciated me groping his little cactus in public. "I'll try."


	48. Chapter 48

48

[Kat]

I spotted my Dad's balding head deep in discussion with Tabitha Cook. "Crap. The witch has Dad in her thrall"

"Wonder what trouble she's brewing up this time." Patrick stopped me with his hand and we watched my Dad's face redden as TC yammered on.

It seemed like eons ago when I'd torn up Dad's check and taken off with Patrick. "I have a few ideas."

"She's been an evil troll since kindergarten."

I smiled slightly. "Seriously?"

"Totally. And she's been on my case ever since."

"How could anyone resist the Verona charm?"

"Beats the hell out of me." He shrugged and yawned loudly.

Dad caught sight of us and his eyes beckoned us over. "Should we rescue him?"

"Dunno. He's run me through the wringer and back."

"True, but if we fend off the heinous bitch, maybe he'll go easier on us."

Patrick smirked. "What happened to women power and feminine solidarity?"

I waved my hand. "That ended when she sabotaged my campaign."

"Doesn't sound very zen to me. Aren't you supposed to turn the other cheek?"

My breath hissed out. "Only with normal people."

"And cretinous mouth-breathers?"

"Deserve to die."

He laughed appreciatively. "Noted. Shall we stage an intervention?"

"Yeah, with gloves off."

I tugged him along in my wake and moved in for the kill.

[Patrick]

The claws were out and the fur was about to fly.

Far be it from me to interfere when my girl could so easily eviscerate TC with a tongue lashing.

"Hello, you two," Tabitha said as we approached, her voice dripping with saccharine. "I was just telling Dr. Stratford how much we missed you on the trip. We waited a good half hour, but you never showed up."

"So good of you to notice," Kat said acerbically, flipping her Dad a look that sent him scurrying off to a safe distance.

"Principal Holland was _especially _disappointed," Tabitha said, smug smile firmly in place.

"Of course she was," Kat said with a falsely bright smile.

"I was so worried that I called her right away."

"That's _so_ sweet, Tabby." Kat touched TC's arm and clamped down with her fingers. "I'm in your debt. How will I ever repay you?"

Tabitha grimaced and finally managed to slip from Kat's grasp. "It was nothing."

"And I know you'd do it again in a heartbeat," Kat said with a wide smile. "So _nice _to know you have my back."

I painted a target in the air and smirked at the scowl on Tabby's face. "Forever and for always, right, Tab?"

She shot me a 'shut your pie hole' look that only fueled my laughter. "Ooh, have we hit a nerve?"

"You're just a fly speck, Verona. Everyone knows it except your precious mouth-breathing girlfriend."

Kat looked far less amused than a second ago. "And you're just a brown-nosing butthead, Tabs."

Tabitha's pale face turned an unflattering shade of puce. "I'm doing my job, Kat, which is more than I can say for you. How someone with your lousy attitude could possibly hope to lead our student body is something I cannot comprehend."

"You're just pissed because I ditched your crappy speech," Kat said, practically spitting nails as she got right in Tabby's face.

"I worked hard on it, because I believed in you. And you repaid my generosity by producing that vile rap video."

That little chestnut practically dropped from Tabby's mouth with a mechanical click. "_Rap_?" I said with a raised brow. "Do tell."

Tabitha whirled on me with fisted hands on hips. "Can you believe it? And Spoink's dirty little fingers were all over it."

"Ooh, must be all over YouTube by now."

Kat kicked my boot. "Good thing it isn't, or I'll have to neuter someone."

Tabitha backed away slightly. "We both know it's a piece of crap."

"Oh, goody, now we're a _we_. Things are looking up." Kat took a step toward Tabitha, who edged toward the chaperones waiting to load them onto the bus.

"You know I'm right."

Blank chose that moment to show his mug, and Kat's dark eyes jumped between him and Tabitha. "Seems like I've heard that line before."

"But it's true." Tabitha closed ranks with Blank, who sniffed slightly and stepped away from her

"Aww, is that any way to treat your beard?" I said, grinning at the shock on Tabitha's face and laughing when Blank turned and strode away at top speed.

"Whee, that was fun," Kat said with a sigh, watching her Dad point at his watch and point toward the exit.

I leaned in. "Not the kind of fun I have in mind."

"One track," she said lightly, the heat gone from her voice as I slung my arm around her waist.

"Is there any other kind?"

Kat rolled her eyes. "C'mon, we better follow Dad."

Just before climbing into the van, I said, "Promise me something?"

"What?"

"That you'll distribute that video when we get back on Monday."

Kat settled next to me. "Not gonna happen."

"If Tabby hates it, it's bound to be good."

That earned a raised brow. "Good is a relative term."

"What harm can it do? They already hate you."

She smacked my arm. "No, _really_?"

"Just saying, it couldn't hurt."

"What's the point?"

My whisper was almost eclipsed by Liana's tired wail. "Because, you were sabotaged by Tabby, and soon everyone at Padua will know it."

Kat chewed on that for a long pause. "I'll think about it."

"That's my girl," I said easily, wrapping my fingers around hers and settling in for the short ride home to Half Moon Bay.


	49. Chapter 49

49

Note: Sorry this is so short. Life has a way of dealing me curve balls, like the nerve pain that makes it painful to work on a computer. This is a transitional chapter leading up to the final scenes.

[Kat]

We got back to Rachel's in time for the 6:00 news.

I went straight for the remote and turned on Channel 5.

Patrick leaned against the back of the couch and fanned my neck with his warm breath. "Anything besides car bombs and foreclosures?"

With a grin, I patted the cushion next to me. "Watch and find out."

He touched my hair gently. "Naw, I'd rather admire you."

The warmth in his voice put my body on red alert. "Always and forever?"

Patrick pushed my shoulder with his fist. "Will you settle for the next fifteen minutes?"

I pretended to give it deep thought. "Sure."

His fingers settled on my shoulders and I winced when he found a knot. "How's this?"

"Good." The news came back on and I was shocked to see the Power TV logo flash on the screen. "What the hell?"

Patrick stopped his impromptu massage. "There's a riot going on," he said in a sing song voice.

I hushed him and turned up the volume.

"A group of Internet fans staged a protest at the Power TV studios after the network cancelled the low-rated show, God and Country. When the network president refused to parley with them, the group started throwing bottles and injured several people. Police were called and 35 arrests were made."

The screen flashed to the weather and I sighed. "Guess it's really over."

Patrick attacked my shoulder blades. "Look at the bright side, at least you're not cooling your heels in the county jail."

"Yay," I said sarcastically, catching my Dad's eye as he motioned toward the door. "Time to head back to the hotel."

"Was it something I said?" Patrick's lightly mocking tone did nothing to assuage my fraying nerves.

"Or didn't say." He was famous for saying nothing or spouting the complete opposite of how he really felt.

"Hey, don't rub it in."

I moved around the couch and kissed his cheek. "Guess we'll see you bright and early."

Dad strode over and nearly thrust his face between us. "Time to leave, Kat."

Patrick smirked when I said, "Personal space, ever heard of it?"

"Don't take that tone with me, missy. We have a long ride tomorrow and we need our beauty sleep."

I was beat to the punch by Patrick. "Not enough hours in the day, dude."

Dad reared back at that comment. "Excuse me?"

His expression was priceless and Patrick and I collapsed in laughter. "Dude, if you could see your face..."

"We're done here." Dad grabbed my sleeve and with a helpless shrug, I followed him out the door without the good night kiss I craved so desperately.

I got to my car and saw Patrick silhouetted in the open doorway. For a moment, I stopped and raised my hand in farewell. "See you at 6AM."

Patrick's easy laugh was the last thing I remembered as Dad and I proceeded down the treacherous, fog-shrouded hill at a glacial pace.

[Patrick]

As soon as they left, I jumped on my phone and texted Spoink.

_Hey, you got any dirt on She Who Shall Not be Named?_

**Who?**

_Tabby._

**Meowwww...yeah, sure. What do you need?**

_Anything related to Kat's botched speech._

**Hmm...yeah, I can help.**

_And have it ready to broadcast by Monday?_

**Well, I'm kinda tied up with Dawn.**

_You wish...unless you're at cheering camp._

**OKayyyy...will see what I can do.**

_Pretend your life depends on it_.

**Haha...you don't scare me anymore.**

_OK, but you know what they say about a woman scorned..._

**Noted. Let me go take care of that.**

Cameron was a person of his word, and I know he'd pull out all the stops to help Kat.


	50. Chapter 50

50

Note: I wanted to post this before I depart for my weekend in New York City. Won't get to it tomorrow, so here is what I have to offer. Enjoy.

[Patrick]

I was up late reading The Passage (The War and Peace of vampire novels) when I heard a soft knock at the door.

"C'mon in."

Rachel poked her head in and smiled. "Got a minute?"

"Or five." My 784 page book slipped to the floor with a telling thud.

She handed me an envelope. "For you."

It was unsealed and stuffed full of money. "You robbed a bank just for me? I'm touched."

Rachel flashed an uncertain smile. "It's to help you get established."

"My very own slush fund." I tossed the wad of cash down and folded my arms against me. "What's the catch?"

She kneaded her fine-boned fingers. "There isn't one."

"Really? 'Cause I hear the forgive and forget theme."

Her sigh could have rattled the windows. "Are we back to that?"

"Never left it." I wasn't in a forgiving mood, and part of me enjoyed having the upper hand for a change.

"I'm willing to wait."

"Until hell freezes over?"

"Patrick, please..."

I cut her off. "You turned your back on both of us."

"It wasn't like that..."

"Sure it wasn't."

"Patrick, I..."

I interrupted her undoubtedly heartfelt apology with my own bile. "You should have stood up to Grandpa."

"Maybe you're right."

Rachel hated confrontation, and I was shoving her between a rock and a hard place. "No maybe about it."

"Do you think a day hasn't gone by that I don't blame myself for how things turned out? That I don't regret my failure to sue Lauren for custody? Or try to find Paolo to tell him about you? Maybe he'd be alive today."

"Maybe he would," I said in a hard tone. "But we'll never know, will we?"

The raven curtain of her hair hid her face, but there was no mistaking the trail of tears. "No."

"Then I guess we're done here."

Rachel straightened. "Not quite." She fished in her pocket before casting a set of keys at me.

I stared down at the keys to her BMW bike. "Is this a joke?"

"Nope." She handed me another envelope, and it contained a title and registration with my name on them. "It was always meant for you."

Restoring this bike had been a labor of love, and the magnitude of her gift nearly rendered me speechless. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Have a safe trip."

And with that, Rachel leaned in and brushed my cheek with her lips. With a tremulous smile, she ducked her head and rushed out before either of us could ruin the moment.

[Kat]

It was 5AM, and Dad was already in my face about our carpool seating arrangements.

"He rides with me."

"Only on the first leg of the trip," I said, knowing Patrick would sooner ride the whole trip on grooved pavement than be forced into tight quarters with my Dad.

"This is non-negotiable, Kat. The man boy and I have issues to work out."

"We discussed this yesterday, Dad."

"And he said he'd think about it. I expect an answer from him before we return home."

"You can't bludgeon him into submission."

Dad held up a finger. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Dad," I said, my voice rising in warning. "He's had a tough ride."

"Why should I go easy on him? He's compromised your reputation..."

"Are you kidding me, Dad? He's not the first."

"Kat, you _can't_ be serious."

I nodded my head regretfully. "Josh and I hooked up before we left Ohio."

Dad put his head in his hands and muttered a few unflattering words. "And this is how you repay me."

"This isn't about you, and I'm not going to end up like those 15-year-old baby mamas you always go on about."

"I taught you better than this."

The sadness and disappointment in his eyes tore through me, just as it had when we had that father-daughter talk about sneaking around. The door would come off, and Patrick and I would be forced underground. "Do what you have to do, Dad, but Patrick and I _will_ find a way."

He sighed. "Even if I tell him to keep it in his pants?"

"Even if." Hot, sweaty, naked and gorgeous was how I liked my Patrick, rolling on, over, and above me in bed.

[Patrick]

My sleep was fractured and filled with custody battles, trust disputes, and Wally's pointing finger.

It was no better when I got up and faced the sheets of rain pounding on the roof.

There was no way I could take that bike out in this weather, and I did have to get back.

Besides, quality time with Kat was in short supply, especially now that Warden Wally had his ball and chain waiting in the wings to forever shackle me as his personal errand boy.

Trip to Home Depot? Check. Fix my Volvo? But of course, Dr. Stratford. Should I spit shine it too? The list was endless, and I have no doubt Wally would have the damn thing composed by the time we returned to chez Stratford.

Rachel was already bustling around the kitchen when I stomped down the stairs. She smiled before handing me a cup of coffee and asking, "Pancakes, OK?"

"Buttermilk and blueberry?" They were my favorite.

"Already on the stove."

I thought about last night's discussion and knew I'd been a total ass. "Look, about last night..."

She waved her hand. "Forget it."

"It's not that simple."

Rachel looked over her shoulder as she flipped pancakes. "It never is, but it'll work itself out."

"Really? Because it rarely does for me."

"Then your luck's about to change."

I stewed on that for a second, and realized she was right. I had an amazing girlfriend who apparently loved me, though neither of us had said the L word directly. Then I'd ridden from my shitty home life to this beautiful place and discovered my aunt was really my mother, and I even had a sister. Jason would help me declare myself an emancipated minor, and would help me fight for the shreds of my trust fund. And in a few months, I would be 18 and could do whatever i wanted. And the man with the pointing finger was apparently stepping up to give me a boost as well. "Maybe so," was all I managed before she set down a heaping plate of pancakes in front of me.

She picked at a single pancake smeared with strawberry jelly. "So I guess we'll have to get the bike down to you another time."

I nodded. "Maybe you could visit." This was uttered casually, but I meant every word.

"Yeah? That would be fun. We could all come down and maybe visit the zoo."

That wasn't my intent. "Just you."

Her eyes widened. "Why?"

I shrugged like it meant nothing. "Why not? It's been a long time, and you can meet Roy."

"Who?"

"My therapist."

Rachel's beautiful lips formed an O. "Sounds doable."

Further discussion was interrupted by the Stratfords arriving at 6 on the dot. "Here we go," I said with an eye roll.

My mood went further downhill when Wally announced I was riding shotgun with him. "No way," I said.

"_Way_," Wally said with a mocking face.

I looked over at Kat. "And you agreed to this?"

She touched my hand. "Wasn't given much of a choice."

"Huh." I picked up my bag and tossed it into the trunk of Wally's car. "Another day in paradise."

Rachel hovered at the periphery and without hesitation, I pulled her into a rough hug. Her hands tightened at my shoulders as I gripped her like a lifeline for a few seconds. "Thanks...for everything," I said before turning my back and heading to the car, hoping no one would notice the tears I dashed away before hopping into Wally's mobile man cave and steeling myself for possibly the worst ride of my life.


	51. Chapter 51

51

[Patrick]

I ignored Wally's sour look as I tuned out his big band music and jacked in Stars, Beach House, and Grizzly Bear. _Two Weeks_ was tickling my inner ear when he cleared his throat loudly. "Time to chat."

"Yeah?" I opened my mouth in a jaw cracking yawn and shoved my ear buds in my pocket.

"Practiced blase. I love it," Wally said sardonically.

"Watch out, it's catching." I put my hands behind my head and grinned over at him while he ground his teeth and resumed his silence.

We caught up with some traffic and his sedan slowed to a crawl. "So, you like sleeping with my daughter."

_Wow_, the blunt, Kat apple didn't fall far from the Wally tree. "I do."

"What's in it for you?"

I threw him that sideways glance that scared off normal mouth-breathers. "What isn't?"

"Don't get cryptic with me." I heard him choke down a man boy and almost laughed.

"OK, what do you want to know?"

"Do you love her?"

I nodded and when I felt the hairy eyeball beaming down on me, I said, "Yeah, pretty sure I do."

"_Pretty sure_?" Wally echoed mockingly.

"Yes, I'm in love with your daughter. Is that clear enough for you?" I said with an edge to my tone.

The traffic started moving and that gave me a brief reprieve. When the speed steadied out, Wally said, "So you'll stand by her, no matter what?"

That was the 64,000 dollar question, wasn't it? "Sure."

"Do you understand what I'm asking of you, son?"

Ah, I was back in son territory. "Think so." We were starting to dip our toes in some pretty deep water, and it was more than a little uncomfortable.

"You sound unsure."

I totally got what he was after, and it was time to nip this in the bud. "I'm there for her, no matter what."

"Meaning?"

Damn, he was going to make me spell it out. "If she gets pregnant, I'll take full responsibility." It totally floored me, because I meant every word.

Wally nodded. "Good. I'll hold you to that."

"Don't sweat it. We're careful."

"Every time?"

OK, maybe there was that one time in the shower and that last time out on the hillside. "Yeah," I said, lying through my teeth.

Wally saw straight through me. "All it takes is one screwup, Patrick."

"I know the drill."

"That's good, because your only other alternative is abstinence."

"Are you kidding me?" The genie was already out of the bottle.

His lips narrowed to a thin line. "I never joke about such things."

"Of course not," I said, forcing my usual mockery into the background.

"How many times?"

Now I did a double take. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I'm asking."

I lost count after the first time. "You think I'm keeping a running tally?"

"Why not?"

"You're unbelievable," I said coldly. "And it's none of your damned business."

Wally's breath hissed out at my tone. "What you do with my daughter is very much my business."

"Look, Dr. Stratford, I understand your concern, but this is pushing it too far. You need to back off a bit."

"Come again?" Now it was his turn to throw me a nasty sideways glance.

"You heard me. There's a fine line, and you've crossed it."

That apparently brought us to a Mexican standoff and we retreated to our musical corners of big band and Brooklyn indie pop.

[Kat]

Lunch was a strained affair in a roadside diner. I picked at French fries while Patrick inhaled two double cheeseburgers and Dad flirted with the waitress. There wasn't enough strong coffee in the world to get me through another minute of this, so I intervened. "This has to stop."

Patrick stopped in mid-chew and displayed a malodorous combo of onions and Swiss. "Huh? I was just getting started."

Dad feigned innocence as he stirred his tea. "The silence _was _golden."

"_Dad_."

"_Kat_," he said, echoing my tone with a chilly smile.

"You insisted that Patrick ride with you."

Patrick sat back and observed us with a slightly arched brow. "Sure did."

"Bad idea?" I asked, dying to know what passed between them.

Dad removed his tea bag and set it aside. "Not at all. We cleared the air."

"You don't say." I was dubious that anything productive occurred between mile markers.

Patrick touched my arm. "Don't sweat it, Kat. Your Dad and I understand each other perfectly."

Dad's teaspoon clattered to the floor. "Indeed," he said with a pained face. "The man boy and I found common ground."

Patrick and I rolled our eyes in unison. "Good to know. So Patrick and I will ride together for the next stretch."

My Dad struck like a rattler. "Not a chance."

My fingers found Patrick's hand and squeezed. "That wasn't part of our agreement."

Dad hit his forehead. "How could I forget? I'm the Dad, and I have the final word."

I squeezed harder and ignored Patrick's wince. "Do you? Well how about this? I'll ride with you, and Patrick can drive the Volvo."

There was nothing my Dad could say without looking like a total curmudgeon. "Very well."

I flashed him a slightly mocking smile before getting to my feet. "I need some air. Anyone want to join me?"

"Sure." Patrick wolfed down the last bite of his burger and followed in my wake. We looked back to see my Dad waving down the waitress frantically, which sent us both into a fit of laughter. We rounded the corner of the building and jumped each other, mouths, tongues, and fingers colliding as we made up for lost time, kissing so hard that I started gasping for air. We saw Dad through the window and broke apart at the last possible second, following in his wake as we moved toward the cars. Before I separated to join my Dad, Patrick ran his fingers down my arm and touched the center of my palm. His index finger swirled around sensuously before Patrick stepped back and spearied me with a smoldering look that said we would find a way.

[Patrick]

I liked driving Kat's old car, and the solitude was exactly what I needed. With the windows slightly lowered, I chilled to the sound of wind and passing traffic as we made our way down past Monterey. Wally's goal was to hit Santa Barbara by night fall, and at his current rate of speed, we had a shot of hitting that target.

Ravel's Une Barque Sur L'Ocean competed with Karen O's screeches and by the time the sun touched the horizon, I was ready to dismember Kat's entire Yeah Yeah Yeahs collection. I tossed them into the back seat and replaced those disks with Yellow House and Veckatimest. That kaleidoscope of old time instruments and channeled Brian Wilson vocals saved my sanity for the rest of the ride.

By the time we pulled into the hotel parking lot, I was completely fried. There was an In and Out Burger within spitting distance and without saying a word, I pointed at the sign.

"I think we can do better than that," Wally said with slight sniff.

"Yeah? Not on my dime," I said crossly.

"Ooh, you're paying?" he said with a smug grin.

"It was a figure of speech, Dad." She tucked her arm through mine and we both faced him across the trunk of her car.

"Of course it was. But let's be honest, do you really want to settle for junk when we can eat vegan?"

"Vegan?" Kat's head came up and I knew arguing was a lost cause.

"Absolutely. Only the best for my cactus," Wally said with a smile that excluded me.

She seemed to forget I was there for a second. "Let me guess, Spiritland Bistro?"

"Of course. We have reservations for 8:00."

They were forgetting something. "Umm, shouldn't we check in first?"

Their heads swung around and Kat instantly looked contrite. "He's right, Dad."

Walter's glee faded and he glared at me on his way to the hotel office. "Now we'll be late."

In a loud voice, I said, "There's always In and Out."

The office door slammed behind him and I chuckled. "It's fun pulling his string."

She pushed against me. "Ease up. This is hard for him."

"And what about me? I had to listen to two straight hours of Karen O's banshee wails."

Kat kicked my foot with hers. "Be nice. I gave you time off for good behavior."

I snickered. "Think I'd rather serve time."

We were joking around when Wally came from the office with a big smile. "Good news. We got their largest room and they only charged us for one person."

My smile faded quickly and didn't re-emerge until after dinner. Spiritland was stuffed with snobby wait staff who looked down their noses when I deliberately mispronounced edamame and demanded tap water.

It went further downhill when I butchered frou frou words like etouffe and flambe and finally asked for whatever they had in chicken. My leather jacket stayed on my back and earned me disapproving stares from the over fed earthy crunchy types at the table across from us. On our way out, I caught their fetid odor and leaned in to say, "That Jason crap never worked for me either. Try Right Guard next time."


	52. Chapter 52

52

[Kat]

We were all tired from the long drive and the food had taken forever to arrive and tasted like old shoe.

"Rave reviews? I think not," I said as I filled out one of their surveys and tossed it at the snooty head waiter on our way out.

Patrick touched my elbow and said, "See? Told you In and Out was the way to go."

I rolled my eyes. "I could take that any number of ways..."

He laughed softly before climbing into the back seat. "Only one way with me."

Dad got in and cleared his throat. "I think the man boy has it right."

Patrick leaned his arms on the back of the seat. "Yeah, how's that?"

"Stick to the basics next time."

Patrick prodded me. "And avoid tofu poisoning."

My stomach almost roiled at the thought. "_Thanks_."

We moved out to the road and Dad threw me a few glances. "I have to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"What does that girl Tabitha have against you? She's full of venom."

Shit, I had completely forgotten about that. "That's one way of looking at it."

"She told me you never turned in your money for the trip."

I hunkered down in my seat and sighed. "That's true."

"So where's my check?"

That deceptively mild tone did not bode well. "Hmm, that's a tough one. Could be in Miramar by now..."

"_What _did you say?" Dad had heard me just fine but wanted me to repeat my folly so he could rip me a new one.

"I tore up your check and tossed it in the dumpster behind the school."

Dad was shaking his head and muttering, never a good combination. "Explain."

There was no way out of this. "I can't. It was stupid and impulsive, and I'm totally sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am," Dad said, eyes focused on the road ahead as we meandered back to the hotel.

I sensed Patrick's smile behind me. "Look on the bright side, Dr. Stratford. You saved a bundle of money."

Dad made a scoffing sound. "_Hardly_. Between the gas money, food, and hotel costs, I'm out more than a thousand."

"But look at all the bonding time we got, dude."

Dad raised an eyebrow. "I suppose."

We returned to the inn and viewed our accommodations with disbelief. "This is their largest room?" I scanned two queen beds and a narrow rollaway bed more suited for Barbie than anyone over five feet tall. The sink was out in the main room, which left no privacy for anyone.

"Yes," Dad said flatly as he dropped his bag on the floor. "And we're not moving."

"OK." I took the bed closer to the cot and was surprised that Dad merely sighed when Patrick dumped his duffel bag on the rollaway.

"I've got first dibs on the bathroom," Dad said tiredly.

That was fine with me. "Sure. Don't use all the hot water."

He made a face. "Seems I've heard that a few thousand times."

"You think?" I watched him until the door closed behind him.

Patrick joined me on top of the bed and wrested the remote from my fingers. "Mind if I check the scores?"

I laughed to myself as he surfed for Padres scores. "See? You're not so different."

He raised an inquisitive brow. "Yeah? How so?"

"Channel surfing and checking scores."

Patrick laughed and a wisp of his warm breath stirred the hair around my face. "Ssh, if that gets out, it's all over for me."

I turned slightly and was slightly stunned by the warmth in his eyes. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Of course it is." And suddenly he was kissing me in that slow, swooning way he had that melted me from the inside out. From the long, slow slide of his tongue against my lips to the way he bit gently on my lower lip, it filled me with liquid want.

I felt him deepening the kiss and pulled back. "Probably not a good idea."

His chest vibrated with silent laughter. "Definitely not."

"But you'll find a way, right?"

Patrick sat up and held out his hand. "Already have. Follow me."

We moved toward the balcony door and stepped out to get some air. To my amazement, we were bordering a gorgeous courtyard that filled the center of the hotel with exotic plants, waterfalls, and a short path to the swimming pool. "Out here?"

"Sure, why not?"

I could think of a million reasons why it was a bad idea, but the wild child in me was screaming yes. "We could get caught."

He smirked. "That's part of the fun."

Indeed it was. "How late?"

"Midnight." Patrick leaned in and kissed me again, his hands roaming freely across my upper torso.

I moaned in the back of my throat and threw back my head, grinding against him as his mouth trailed wetly from my ear to my collarbone. He was pushing my left strap down when we heard Dad emerge from the bathroom. "Damn."

By the time Dad found us, we were sitting at a safe distance and enjoying the night air. "What have you two been up to?"

"Nothing," I said. "Just getting some fresh air."

"It's your turn," Dad said.

"Huh?"

"To shower."

"Right." I got up and made a face behind Dad's back. "Better be some hot water left, or there'll be hell to pay."

[Patrick]

Walter fell almost instantly asleep and the room was soon filled with loud snoring. I managed not to snicker as I pulled my pillow over my head, knowing I could never sleep under these conditions.

Kat tossed and turned and kicked the covers off. Sensing she was awake, I got out of bed and padded over to her. "You ready?" My whisper was eclipsed by Wally's rather impressive snores.

She sat bolt upright and touched my hand. "OK."

We moved silently through the sliding door and shut it behind us. "Let's take a dip."

"Now?" Kat looked at me like I was crazy and I laughed at her expression.

"Ooh, someone's afraid."

"Of you? _Hardly_."

"Prove it."

That was all it took to propel her toward the pool, which had a Closed sign but no padlock on the fence. Kat opened the latch and the gate opened with a loud squeak, which made us both chuckle. The water looked black, but my inspection earlier had shown it to be clean _and _heated, a big plus in this iffy spring weather they got on the Central Coast. I shucked my clothes and slipped into the deep end. The water instantly refreshed me and I said, "C'mon in, the water's fine."

Kat dipped a toe in and shuddered. "Are you kidding? It's freezing."

I grinned and splashed some water on her. "Coward."

"I am not," she said hotly, stepping back out of range.

"Yeah, then why are you still standing up there?"

My taunt obviously rankled, because in a brief flash, her clothes had left her body and she was floating toward me. "See? Here I am."

"Mmm," I said, scooping her into my arms and pulling her across me. "So you are."

I paddled us over to the shallow end and decided the steps were perfect. Kat dismounted and we stood naked in waist deep water. "Here?"

"Sure."

The moonlight silvered her entire frame and I was slightly dazed by her dark beauty. The tip of her tongue was hanging out, as she took in my aroused state with a half grin. We were both smiling when I flicked my tongue across the tip of each breast. Her groan vibrated against my throat as I moved up to attack her mouth, sucking on her tongue as I sat back on the top step and pulled her on top of me.

Back and forth I wove, deepening the kiss with each thrust of my tongue and timing my last approach by ramming up into her. She jerked like a puppet on a string when my hot fingers found her slick center and for a long moment, we both stopped and stared at each other in dazed lust.

Her inner muscles contracted and nearly killed me with sensation. She moved against me and any thought of staying in control were lost as she galloped along at warp speed, riding me hard as my ass bumped against the step with each parry and thrust. My hand moved in sync and when I was nearly over the edge, she groaned out my name and pressed against me, falling into my waiting hands when I performed a coule and nearly sliced her in half.


	53. Chapter 53

Note: Yes, yes, I know this is short, and I have posted a zillion chapters so far. Since I know my time is limited and I don't know when my next update will happen, I thought I would post what I did have for you. I also will not sit here and say, you must post reviews or I will not update again anytime soon. I greatly appreciate the reviews, but I have many of them already. I do thank the folks who have stuck with the story so far. I promise, it will end well and I will wrap up everything.

53

[Kat]

We lay wrapped in stolen towels on adjoining lounge chairs. "We're playing with fire, you know."

Patrick's smirk nearly lit up the night. "You think?"

"Unprotected water aerobics..._not_ cool."

"Aw, c'mon, what are the odds?"

"_Against _us."

His eyes searched my face. "You could have stopped me."

He was right. "I could have."

"But?' His towel slipped lower on his torso and I managed not to drool.

I forced myself to look away. "I wanted it...you...too much."

His smile was sweet and sexy. "Yeah? That goes both ways."

That woozy feeling I got in his presence nearly got the best of me. "Thanks, but that doesn't solve our immediate problem."

"Guess not."

"I'll visit the clinic first thing Monday afternoon."

"Won't the warden have us on permanent lock down?"

"Could be, but I'll think of something."

"Better think fast." Patrick jerked his head toward the gate and I gasped at the sight of Dad, complete with his patented pointing finger.

[Patrick]

Note: The reference to Dick Cheney is alluding to Bush being the mouthpiece for Cheney's agenda, sort of the way Kat dives in and speaks for Patrick.

We scrambled to our feet on his approach. "Nice night," I said by way of greeting.

Wally scowled at me and held up my box of Trojans. "Forget something?"

"Nope." I'd popped it in my duffel before stepping out with Kat.

"You want to try that again, son?" He stared pointedly at our trail of clothes before giving us both the hairy eyeball.

I held the towel tight against my waist. "Only if you admit to illegally searching my bag."

Walter raised an eyebrow. "_Illegally_?"

Kat chose that moment to intervene. "Invasion of privacy and all that?"

"Cut the Dick Cheney crap."

The slippery slope of this conversation was headed rapidly downhill. "What the..?"

She cut me off with a downward chop of her hand. "Dad, it's late, we're all tired..."

"I'll _bet _you are," Walter said, his voice rising with his outrage.

"And this is better discussed with clearer heads over morning coffee."

That took some of the wind out of Wally's sails. He pointed toward our room and we marched across the courtyard in a grim-faced line before escaping to the relative safety of our hotel room. "I am deeply disappointed in both of you."

Kat sighed. "I'm sorry for that."

But she wasn't sorry for stepping out with me. "Me too."

Wally wasn't buying any of it. "Sure you are."

He watched while each of us took a final turn in the bathroom and made sure we got into our own little beds. When he hovered over me, I said, "Aww, you gonna tuck me in?"

"Always the smartass, aren't you?" He fired the box of condoms and smiled when it beaned me.

"Watch it," I said with that low timbre that scared most people.

Walter glowered at me. "Don't take that tone with me."

Kat's eyes pleaded with me to cease and desist, so I held up my hands in surrender. "OK, you're right. I'm as ass. Can we just go to sleep already?"

That seemed to mollify the warden and with a sniff, he shut off the lights and plunged the room into darkness.


	54. Chapter 54

54

NOte: Yes, I know this is short. I am dealing with health issues, both my own and those of my sick cat Niko. So I am not up for writing much. Since I finished this part, I thought I would post it. Apologies again for all the chapters.

[Kat]

Continental breakfast was snatch and grab before zooming off in our cozy convoy.

Patrick drove the Volvo while I rode shotgun with my sighing, teeth gnashing Dad. We were south of LA before he pulled over in a rest area and said, "You drive."

After belting myself in, I looked over at him and said, "What happened to discussing last night?"

"There's nothing to say. You've made your choice, and now I'll make mine."

That sounded ominous. "And what is that?"

"You'll see."

I made a face as some ass hat in a Corvette swerved in front of me. "Let me guess. I'm grounded for life?"

"Don't I wish."

I suddenly remembered Ms. Tharp. "Is your girlfriend in on it?"

He held up a finger. "Great idea."

"Are you kidding me? This is insane. You're punishing me because I love someone?"

His look was long and reflective. "That's not why."

I knew what he wasn't saying. "You don't trust me."

"With him."

"I know you think he's a bad influence, but nobody forced me to ditch school."

"You've explained that…multiple times."

"Yet you still don't believe me."

"Oh, I believe that part."

It all came down to sex. "Look, I can't take it back."

"No kidding. I get it, Kat. You like how it feels and you don't want to stop."

"You make it sound so…"

"Cheap?"

I ran one hand nervously through my hair. "_Not_ what I was getting at."

"But deep down, you know it's true."

"It _isn't_. I love him, and when we're together…it feels right to me."

"So tell me, did sneaking out after hours and breaking into the pool feel right?"

"Well, _no_, but…"

He cut me off. "Of course it didn't. And despite all your words about being above board with this relationship, you're still sneaking around. _How_ am I supposed to trust you?"

"I don't know."

"Like going off on this trip without permission. And ripping up that check. Are these the actions of a trustworthy person?"

"No."

"You know that it's wrong, but you're not sorry for any of it."

Dad had me nailed dead to rights. "Not true."

"See, even that is a lie."

"I am sorry for hurting and disappointing you, Dad."

He looked over at me with that hangdog look that always got to me. "You're not my little cactus anymore."

This was the part where I was supposed to reassure him that I'd always be his little cactus, but this wasn't some half-baked TV plot. "Maybe I can be your saguaro."

That earned me a twitch of his lips. "That's a tall order."

"We could always cut a hole in the roof."

Dad chuckled and that evaporated the tension immediately. "That can be your first after school project."

I rolled my eyes and smiled before returning my attention to the endless coastal route.


	55. Chapter 55

55

[Patrick]

It was after 9 by the time we rolled into Kat's driveway.

I sat in the car for a few moments and the dread I'd left behind came roiling back like a bad case of heartburn.

Someone tapped at the window and I was surprised to see Wally. "You OK?" he called through the glass.

I shrugged and got out. "What do you think?" My home life sucked, and we both knew it.

Kat came striding over and glanced between us with wide eyes. "What?"

That was 'is everything cool' and 'what the hell is going on' all rolled into one. "Nothing," I said, glad to duck my head as I pulled out my duffel bag from the back seat.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and looked down at Wally's hairy fingers. When I looked up, he dropped his hand and said, "You're welcome to sleep on our couch."

Something stirred the sludge in my gut and a shard of gratitude pierced through. "Yeah?"

"It's a time-limited offer. Tick tock," Wally said, lips quivering slightly as he waited for my answer.

"Hmm, that's a tough one," I said, as if trudging home was first on my list.

Wally whistled a few bars of the Jeopardy theme. "Well, son, what's it gonna be? Flopping on our couch, or sneaking your way past an abusive drunk?"

"I'll stay here."

Kat cocked her head. "Are you punking us, Dad?"

He made a face and pointed at the house. "Are you kidding? Get moving."

She looked over and smiled before following her Dad up the walk.

I grinned back and decided I'd endure whatever Wally put me through if it meant spending more time with her.

_The world is a vampire, sent to drain _

_Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames _

_And what do I get, for my pain? _

_Betrayed desires, and a piece of the game _

_Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Lyrics by Billy Corgan_

[Patrick]

I awoke to find myself face down in the grass behind Kat's house. Dew drenched my T-shirt and I shivered in the cool evening air as I got to my feet. An empty Doritos bag crunched under my toes and as I scooped that up, I swore under my breath.

The sleepwalking/eating pattern was starting up again, and I'd only been home for a few hours.

With a glance to see if the coast was clear, I snuck back into the house and grabbed my cell phone.

The downstairs bathroom was a safe haven, and I locked the door and put on the fan to cover the sound of my voice.

Jess was on speed dial, and being the night owl that he was, he picked up on the first ring. "S'up, dude?"

It was great to hear his sunny voice. "You got my stuff?"

"Hmm...yeah, safe and sound." I could hear the sound of sketching and then the swipe of his eraser.

"Did they give you any crap?"

"Naw, the door was wide open and they were out cold."

That wasn't even funny anymore. "Figures. Did they come looking for me?"

Jess dropped his pencil with a clatter. "Yeah, what's up with that? Lauren was a nasty bitch and tried to grab your cello."

"It's complicated."

He snorted derisively. "Of course it is."

"It's all about the money, dude."

"As in, you don't have any?"

My jaw clenched slightly as an angry laugh escaped my lips. "Not yet, but I will soon."

"You're shitting me."

"Not this time."

"You rob a bank or something?"

"Something like that," I said with a laugh.

"Next time, can I be the wheel man?"

"Shut up." My voice was mild as I looked at the ceiling and noticed a water stain on the ceiling (my next project, no doubt).

"Anything else you need? Like maybe dropping your stuff back at the Lauren love shack?"

"No," I said forcefully. "I'm not going back there."

"I see. So are you camping in the park?"

"Naw, I've graduated to my girlfriend's couch."

"Ooh, sounds like your little road trip paid off."

I loved Jess like a brother, but he was as shallow as they came when it came to matters of the heart. "Totally. Can you believe I have a baby sister?"

"How is that even...no way, _really_?"

"Really. She's Rachel's daughter."

There was a metallic clunk as Jess dropped the phone. When he picked it back up, he said, "So that means..."

"Yeah, she's my Mom."

"Dude, that's epic."

"Tell me about it. Stop by the shop tomorrow and I'll fill you in."

"'K. Any other secrets you want to spill?"

"Some other time. Later."


	56. Chapter 56

56

_Smile in this space, It's all loud__  
__Loud as the light can be made__  
__Smile in this space, It's all loud__  
__Loud as the light can be made_

_The Last Drop, Lyrics by The Joy Formidable_

[Kat]

I ventured downstairs once, reassured to find Patrick rolled up in a blanket and not scarfing down the latest batch of cupcakes. Of course, that single glimpse of curly sex hair got me so stirred up that I had to fan the flames with my usual fallback method.

It seemed like I'd barely lowered my lashes when my radio started screeching Goldfrapp at ear piercing volume. With a swat, I squashed Alison's vocals like a bug and grumbled my way to my clean underwear pile and the wrinkled but clean jeans and tee from the bottom of my suitcase. With bleary eyes, I grimaced at my morning face and started washing up in earnest. My sister would be bombarding me with her chipmunk voice if I didn't scurry out of here at my usual pace. I shoved my way through the door and passed her beaming face on my way to the stairs. I walked to the head of the stairs and could feel her Cheshire cat smile burning holes in my back. "What?" I said impatiently.

"Someone made you breakfast," Bianca said in her patented sing song tone.

"Ooh, you learned to boil water," I said over my shoulder.

She giggled. "You think I'd waste time on you?"

"Look, I'm _so _not in the mood..."

"Your food is getting cold." Her voice purred before she finished with, "And we know how you love Eggs Benedict."

My eyes opened wide and I took the stairs two at a time. I barely rounded the corner to the kitchen when a delectable smell assailed my nostrils. When a familiar mop of curls rose from the table, my jaw nearly dropped to the ground. "How did you..."

"I bribed the kitchen staff."

I approached the table. "Where's my Dad?"

"Already stuffed full of ham and asparagus."

I raised my brows. "He liked it?"

"_And _lived to tell the tale."

Patrick pushed a plate in front of me. I examined the artful way he'd arranged the meal and garnished it with oranges. "_Definitely _not raised by wolves," I said with approval, my fork digging into the ham free concoction he'd whipped up for me.

His lips grazed my cheek. "I swear I've heard that before. Could you hum a few more bars for me?"

I turned slightly and his face was only inches from mine. "You're my perpetual surprise. Don't stop."

His lips curved into that sexy smile that burnt me straight to cinders. "Noted."

His hand pulled me to my feet and into his arms. "Hey, I'm still hungry."

"So am I," Patrick said in a low tone that telegraphed his intent just before his mouth crashed into mine.  
*****

[Patrick]

Spoink was hovering nervously near the entrance when we arrived at school. After seeing Kat off with a Wally approved kiss (no tongue), I grabbed Cameron's arm and yanked him into the AV lab.

"What do you have for me?"

He ran his fingers through his spiky hair. "It's not done, but…"

"Show me."

My impatient tone hustled him along to a nearby MacBook, which he flipped open. "Promise you won't…"

I shoved his shoulder lightly, smiling when he almost fell out of the chair. "Thought you weren't afraid of me."

"That was then."

My grin widened. "Just play it."

An awful cacophony of voices coalesced into a rap, but not just any rap. This one was populated by my smoking hot, big-haired girlfriend and Sproink. My mouth opened as it cut into Tabitha Cook congratulating herself on winning the election for Blank. It cut back and forth from Kat's sexy rap, segued to her practice dialogue, and ended with Blank shouting down Tabitha and calling her a bloody bint. I didn't have a degree in the King's English, but even I recognized an insult when I heard it. "That's all I have for now."

"Should I ask where you got this footage?" I kept my tone mild, but I was impressed with what he'd thrown together.

He shook his head. "I'll finish it tonight."

"Perfect, then we can run it during home room tomorrow."

"Can't it wait until lunch?"

I thought about the food they'd thrown at Kat and wondered if they'd shower Tabitha with equal venom. "Sure."

"Did Kat agree to this?"

"Let me worry about that," I said.

Cameron shook his head. "You don't want to spring this on her."

Oh, but I did. Seeing the look on her face would be worth all the groveling I'd do in the aftermath of this little escapade. Before I left, I said, "Did I remember to thank you, dude?"

He shrugged. "Thank me later, in detention."

I laughed. "Don't sweat it, Sproink. It's all on me."

[Kat]

I managed to keep my head down and survive through my first day back. People glared at me as I passed, but no one threw anything at me or my car. Promising Patrick that I'd return to pick him up after my clinic visit, I drove off to the free clinic on the edge of town. I'd made an appointment early in the day to see my regular nurse practitioner, and they took me right in when I arrived.

"Haven't seen you here in awhile, Kat. How can I help you today?" Deborah asked, scanning my chart while her assistant took my vitals.

"I haven't been careful," I said.

Deborah waited for the assistant to leave and asked me to sit down. "Tell me about it."

She was easy to talk to, and before I knew it, all my pent up angst was spilling out. Deborah carefully annotated my story and ended with a smile. "When's the last time you had sex?"

It seemed like forever. "Two days."

"And you need emergency contraception," she said in a kind voice.

I nodded. "I would also like to go on the pill."

"That makes sense. When was your last period?"

It was due any day now, and I was nervous that it wouldn't arrive. "About four weeks ago."

"Did you have unprotected sex in the middle of your cycle?"

I'd been lectured to death on this subject, and I knew better, but it had felt so damned good that I'd lost my head. "Yes."

"More than once?"

"Uh-huh."

Deborah wasn't the lecturing type, and for that I was grateful. "Well, let's get you set up, and get some blood from you on your way out."

She was going to test me. "Why? Won't the ECPs take care of that?"

"No guarantees, I'm afraid. If you're already pregnant, then it's too late."

I was on my way out when she caught up with me. "Let me know how this pans out, and whatever you do, be careful from now on."

"Thanks, I will."

With my vial of birth control pills tucked in my satchel, I made my way to my car and secretly prayed to a faceless entity to spare me from the fate of Juno.

[Patrick]

Jess showed up when I was up to my elbows in engine oil. "Took you long enough," I said with a fake scowl.

"Where's your lady?"

"Taking care of business."

He laughed. "Right hand or left?"

I rolled my eyes. "I've missed you too, dude. Got my stuff?"

"Safe and sound."

The thought of my beloved cello in Dick's meaty paws was the stuff of nightmares. "Thank God."

"So, dude, tell me about Mama Rachel."

Good old Jess, ramming through the small talk and straight to the point. "It's simple. She got in trouble, and my Dad raised me."

He slapped me on the back. "Bullshit. It's _never_ simple with you Veronas."

I thought about my unexpected arrival on Rachel's door step and the way she'd welcomed us. "Kat and I showed up, and we found out she is married to a lawyer and has a kid."

"And _never_ told you?" Jess gave me a disbelieving stare. "Thought Rachel was a straight shooter."

"She had her reasons."

"You're defending her?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. I'm still sorting things out."

Jess knew this was a dead end, so he changed course. "So, how much are you worth?"

That long line of zeros flashed in my mind. "Doesn't matter."

Jess laughed. "Who are you kidding? Money _always_ matters."

Maybe he was right, but I wouldn't let it drag me down to Lauren's level. "Only if you don't have any."

"Exactly my point. So is this lawyer dude going after Lauren?"

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Does your…Rachel believe in him?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Anything I can do to help?"

Jess came from a family with five sisters and a single mom. They lived in a rambling farm house near the bay and every hand in that family worked hard to keep afloat. "There is one thing you can do."

"What's that?"

Kat's Volvo pulled up and I jerked my head in her direction. "We need alone time. Think you can free up some space for us?"

He grinned. "That can be arranged…for a price."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"You know what."

I suddenly remembered his endless requests to have me play cello for his family. "No way."

"Then no deal."

Jess had me by the short hairs. With a groan, I threw my greasy rag at him and ducked when he lobbed it back at me. "You win," I said.

"Cool, how about Friday night?"

"Don't push it," I said.

His laugh echoed off the roof on his way out. Kat moved to my side and looked back at Jess's departing form. "What was that about?"

I leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I've found a way."


	57. Chapter 57

57

Note: Yes, this is short. I am sorry for that. Life is squeezing me from all sides. This is all I have for today.

[Kat]

_If you need, if you need me to be with you__  
__I will follow__  
__Where you lead_

_Where you lead I will follow, Lyrics by Carole King_

Dad was waiting for us when we arrived home and glanced pointedly at his watch. "School ended two hours ago. Explain."

There was no way I was telling him about my little excursion downtown. "I had a student council meeting."

Patrick lifted a grimy hand. "Had to finish working on a car."

Dad sniffed out liars like a truffle-hunting pig. Knowing one of us was shining him on, he shook his head and motioned for us to follow him to the garage. "This place could use a coat of paint."

"That's an understatement," Patrick said with his usual tact, throwing me a mischievous look before whistling at the state of the peeling walls.

Dad folded his arms. "Keep up the banter, and you'll be working through the night."

Was he kidding? There's no way we could get this done in one pass. "Seriously, Dad? This is a big space."

He smirked. "Even counting the second floor?"

"Dude, no way," Patrick said. "It would take an army to finish up in one day."

"The enlistment office is right down the street."

Patrick snickered. "Ooh, sign on the dotted line _and_ get a free buzz cut. What a deal."

Dad flashed an insincere smile. "I thought so too."

Patrick circled my Dad and stared at his chrome dome. "So, are you their poster boy?"

Dad made a face. "I served my time."

"I can see that." Patrick barely managed to contain his mirth.

We walked up the stairs to the loft over the garage. "You should give it some thought, son."

"What?" Patrick was already surveying the space and shaking his head.

"A career in the military."

I started to protest but Patrick waved me off. "And get my ass shot off? No thanks."

"I'm sure they could use your mechanical talents," Dad said.

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, can you please drop it?"

"Someone has to keep after him..."

Patrick swiveled to face Dad. "Look, I agreed to help out around here, but that's where it ends."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah." Patrick slumped against the wall. "Look, I see what you're trying to do."

"And?"

"I'm fine. Tell Rachel to stop worrying."

"She can't help it. With no college prospects _or_ career aspirations…"

Patrick cut in. "I've heard the spiel, OK?"

Dad raised a brow. "Fancy word for a grease monkey. Don't tell me you're one of those closet poets who burns the midnight oil."

"Not even for Keats. Now do you mind? I'd like to get started." Patrick stared over at the waiting paint cans and I followed him over with a sigh.

"Dinner in an hour."

"Thanks, Dad," I said, gazing at the stairs and urging him to take his leave.

Dad started forward but stopped with a raised finger. "One more thing. The faster you finish up, the sooner your deep voiced man boy can move in."

He trotted down the stairs and left us both in stunned silence. I finally worked up the nerve to say, "So what do you think?"

Patrick continued putting on primer at a furious pace. "Your dad is tough…but fair."

I wiped sweat from my brow. "Maybe, but he has no right to meddle with your future."

"Sure he does." Patrick sidled closer and bumped me gently with his shoulder.

"How do you figure?"

"Because…" Patrick kissed the tip of my nose. "My future is you."

The look in his eyes as he leaned in nearly incinerated me. "Mmm…how do you figure?" I said after a knee-buckling kiss.

He flashed a half smile and hummed a few bars of a familiar tune. It was only after Dad called us downstairs that I recognized the old Carole King by way of Gilmore Girls theme. It filled me with a warmth that bloomed further when Patrick offered to tune up Dad's car as his next project.


	58. Chapter 58

58

[Patrick]

Dinner hour was a ticking time bomb, punctuated by the Stratford sisters exchanging good-natured barbs and my silent appreciation of Wally's lasagna.

Wally noticed my empty plate. "More?"

His pasted on smile told me to decline. "I'm good."

"I must not be working you hard enough." Wally's fake smile faded as he served himself the last piece.

Kat's elbow nudge warned me away from my usual foot in mouth routine. "Maybe not."

Wally chewed happily before saying, "I got a call from Jason."

My wandering hand froze in mid-caress over Kat's thigh. "Yeah?"

"He's filed charges against Lauren on your behalf."

I snatched back my hand as I straightened. "Wow, that was fast."

"He's not messing around."

I'd been screwed over for so many years that Jason's quick actions surprised me. "Nope."

Kat tossed me a concerned look over one shoulder as she started clearing. "You OK?" she whispered as I handed her my plate and stood up to join her.

My shrug said it all. "I'll live."

We got to the kitchen where she ran some water over our plates. "You seeing Roy this week?"

Shit, that had totally slipped my mind. "Tomorrow. Can I borrow the car?"

"Of course."

Kat presented me with a fine rear view as she leaned over the dishwasher. "Umm, how did it go today?" Her distracting display was going to give me up if I didn't move away.

Wally chose that moment to enter the kitchen and she hissed, "Not here."

He handed over his plate and rubbed his hands together gleefully. "You're washing _and_ drying? I could get used to this."

I pointed at the dishwasher. "Already covered."

Kat stood up and pointed at the larger pots and pans. "Not quite."

"Then let's get cracking. I have a physics test to study for."

Kat and her father both raised their brows, which prompted me to say, "_What_? I study."

She chuckled. "In what universe?"

The sound of her laugh was so intoxicating that I found myself grinning in return. "Shazbot."

"Does this mean you're aging backwards?"

"That, and I use good moisturizer."

"Ah, now why didn't I see that?" Kat flipped some soapy water at me, which I avoided by jumping sideways.

"Pretty girls never notice these things." There went another of my backhanded compliments.

"You don't say. How remiss of me."

The pleasure on her face from our playful banter was enough to carry me back to comfortable silence. We finished up and Kat pointed to the dining room table, which was cleaned off for homework. "Not in your room?"

She shook her head. "Not with you here."

"Even with your door removed?"

"Even with." Kat opened her laptop and started typing.

I reviewed the first of five chapters and quickly memorized the formulas I'd need tomorrow. My teacher was old school and did not allow formula cheat sheets at exam time. Thing was, even with all his rules, Mr. Frame was a great teacher and I was acing his class. That, along with my English grade and shop raised my average enough to scrape by.

She was still typing when I closed my book to take a mental break. "There's something you need to see."

"Patrick, I don't have time for this…"

Her words were cut off by the USB drive I placed in front of her. "Trust me, you won't want to miss this."

With a sigh, Kat stuck the drive into her laptop's closest port. A window opened up and Spoink's video started playing. Her eyes widened for a second before crinkling into laughter. "Oh, God, this is choice."

"You think so?" It looked like Spoink was right about leveling with her.

"Totally. When is this going down?"

"We were thinking, lunch tomorrow."

She nodded slightly. "What better than a food-related venue? I like it."

"I'm glad. Maybe it will help."

"Sure can't hurt. I'm below bottom feeder on the social ladder."

"And you care about this because?"

"I'm sick of cleaning shit off my car. Any more questions?"

We exchanged smiles before turning back to Schrodinger and an essay on Milton.

[Kat]

We'd parted ways around 10, though I was well aware he was watching Stooges reruns in the den. Curly's high pitched voice had floated up the stairs and interrupted my tossing and turning. I'd had half a mind to rip Patrick a new one, until I found him sound asleep with a comforter dragged across his shoulders.

With a sigh, I tucked the blanket gently around him and put Curly out of his misery. Patrick didn't even stir, obviously feeling at home on our sagging couch. I checked the fridge, and smiled at the empty plate on the top shelf, devoid of the grinder I'd made earlier in case Patrick went on one of his sleep eating binges.

The poor guy had way more on this plate than most people, so if he wanted to stuff his face, then let him. I put the plate in the sink and returned to my doorless abode.

It was after midnight, so I decided to sky watch and play some tunes until my mind settled down.

It was a warm, clear night, as star-studded as a walk on the red carpet.

The events of the last week washed over me and I let it settle as I watched the sky, ear buds shoved in my ears as I listened to a mélange of Ivy, Autour de Lucie, and a smoky voiced chanteuse with an unpronounceable name. This last artist was a personal favorite of Patrick's, and it wasn't half bad.

I bobbed my head back and forth and when I opened my eyes, I jumped at the sight of Patrick crouched in the window. I yanked out my ear buds and said, "You shouldn't be here."

Patrick shrugged and slipped through the window. Looking pointedly at my blanket, he asked, "Do you mind?"

"No, but my Dad might."

He lifted one corner and slid in next to me. "I'll take my chances."

I shifted around to get comfortable and was suddenly pulled into Patrick's strong arms. My head naturally rested against his broad chest and I sighed happily. "This is nice."

He nuzzled the side of my face. "Mmm, so what's keeping you up?"

"Dad's lasagna."

Patrick's quiet laugh sent a shiver down my spine. "Aw, he sure tries hard."

"Sure does."

"And you're avoiding the subject."

"I'm good at that." I nudged his side. "After all, I've learned from the best."

"Me? I'm flattered."

"Of course you are."

Patrick took my hand in his and stroked my hair with his other hand. "What did they say at the clinic?"

"Well, they didn't lecture me."

"That's good, right?"

"I guess. They put me on the pill and gave me emergency contraception."

"And that fixes it?"

His tone was casual, but I heard the worry behind his question. "Maybe."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then we're screwed," I said.

His fingers tightened around mine. "Is that how you see it?"

I thought about my hopes and dreams and a baby at 18 didn't work for me. "Yeah."

"You know I'm here for you, right?"

He'd promised not to break my heart. "No matter what happens?"

Patrick kissed my cheek. "No matter what."


	59. Chapter 59

59

[Patrick]

The stage was set, and Spoink was primed to interrupt Tabitha's usual smarmy broadcast and replace it with his special Kat mix.

He'd given me a thumbs up and a wan smile as he passed in the hall with Michael.

As for Kat, she wasn't quite as enthused in the cold light of a new school day. "Not sure how much more of this my school record can take."

"Don't sweat it. I'll take the heat."

"That's hardly fair."

I slid my hand down her arm before capturing her hand with mine. "This was my idea. How can I let anyone else take the credit?"

That quip earned me a tiny smile. "Don't forget Spoink."

"He wants no part of this."

"So how much arm twisting did you have to do?"

I grinned. "None. I just threatened to sic you on him."

Kat made a face before hip checking me. "I'm a pussy cat."

"Complete with claws." I smiled knowingly and watched her cheeks flush as if on cue.

"Keep it clean," she said, her eyes darting to the left.

I looked over to see Miss Tharp leaning against a door frame, watching us intently while pretending to chat with Miss Holland. "One of Wally's minions?"

"Among other things," Kat said with an eye roll. "Can we move on please?"

We arrived at the split in the corridor where I headed to Physics and she moved off to AP English. "Only three more hours," I said with a grin.

"Ooh, I'm counting the minutes."

I touched the side of her face. "Don't worry, it'll be epic."

[Kat]

Patrick could reassure me all day long, but I was petrified that his little stunt would blow up in my face.

Pelting my car with garbage would be small potatoes compared to what they would do to me if this vid hit too many sour notes.

I picked at my lentil burger and stared off into space as my sister and Dawn prattled away at the next table, so caught up in their wild adventures at cheerleading camp that when my rap hit the screens, it didn't register with them right away.

My eyes lifted and saw Tabitha's face superimposed on top of Cameron's, and I stifled an insane giggle as the volume raised and stunned everyone in the courtyard to silence as the message got out that Tabitha and her fellow dew head Blank were a match made in hell.

Laughter rose as faux Tabitha and I wove back and forth and slammed home my message, and when it ended, a cheer broke out from the second floor.

I looked up to see Patrick who yelled, "Rap the Vote."

Mouthbreathers all around me raised their fists and repeated his war cry, which morphed into cries for Tabitha's blood.

She rose from one end of the quad and waved her arms to get their attention, but when she tried to make her way to the podium, she was pelted with half eaten burgers and dogs. Ketchup and mustard dripped from her hair and I had to say it was a good look on her.

Tabitha lasered me with a dirty look and mouthed that I would pay for this.

I shrugged and knew she heard me say, "I had nothing to do with this."

It was the same speech I gave to that security goon Dick before he hauled me and Patrick to the office. I repeated my story to Miss Tharp and Principal Holland, and ultimately, my father when he was called in to address our transgressions.

After it was all laid down, Dad surprised me by saying, "This calls for a new election."

"That's unprecedented," Holland said with a yawn.

"So break new ground," Dad urged.

"Me?" Holland said with undisguised boredom. "I'm just a tool for the man."

Dad raised his brows. "Is she kidding?"

Patrick jumped in. "She's dead serious, dude."

When Dad looked over at me, I nodded and said, "Believe it, Dad. She's a mouth breather all grown up."

Holland didn't even bat an eye at my insult. "The student council is in Tabitha's pocket, and they won't hear of it."

I had seen at least half the council pelt her with garbage. "Not true. They despise her even more than me."

"Maybe so, but we're paid to tolerate her."

I squinted in confusion until Patrick said, "You know that new wing that got funded?"

That had flown way below my radar. "Yeah, what about it?"

"The money came straight from Cook Construction."

Oh, Christ, now I remembered. Cook Sr. was a loud mouth whose TV ads forced me to turn the volume down every time his jowly mug assaulted my senses. "Of course it did."

Dad turned his back on Holland and asked, "Do you really want this, Kat?"

With all the crap I was going through, an election that was past history was water under the bridge. "I thought I did, but not so much anymore."

Patrick touched my arm gently. "Are you sure?"

The warmth of his fingers spread through me. "Yes."

The three of us left the office and Dad said, "You think you two can stay out of trouble for the rest of today?"

There were any number of ways to answer that question, but I took the high road and said, "You have my word, Dad."

He was halfway to the parking lot before Patrick said, "But tomorrow is another day."

With a smile, I linked my arm with his and walked to our study hall. As we passed the far end of the quad, we turned in time to see Tabitha shower Blank with a jumbo sized iced coffee that perfectly matched his tailored pants. "Starbucks and Heinz. Who knew?"


	60. Chapter 60

60

Note: I apologize for the long delay between this and my last post. My life is crazy, and will get even crazier in the coming weeks. I wanted to give you all something in the mean time, so here it is.

[Patrick]

Roy rescheduled one of his other clients to fit me in, and I was already running late when Kat and I rushed out to the parking lot.

When I stepped out the door, I stopped on a dime at the sight of Lauren decorating Kat's hood with studs, leather, and her usual waft of cigarette smoke.

Kat's eyes bugged out at her beloved car being desecrated once again. "Who the hell is that?"

I stalled her forward motion with my arm. "My ex."

Her body stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Former parental unit."

"Oh." Her hand touched my shoulder for a second. "Want me to leave?"

Was she kidding? I needed all the support I could get. "Let's get this over with."

Kat wound her arm through mine as we approached. Lauren sat up and smirked at us. "So you're the girlfriend."

Lauren gave Kat the once over before tossing a verbal grenade over one shoulder at me. "You can do better."

"And _you_ can get off my car," Kat said with pursed lips, a steely glance, and clenched fists.

"Now, now, there's no need to get nasty." Lauren slid off the hood and wobbled slightly on the landing.

"But she's so _good_ at it," I said with a half grin.

"Aww, young _fucking_ love." Lauren took a drag on her cigarette and blew a ring over Kat's head.

Kat waved the smoke away with a grimace. "Your point being?"

Lauren winked lasciviously at me. "I know my boy. He must be plowing you good."

The sudden flush on Kat's cheeks was a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "That's none of your damned business."

Lauren waved her cigarette and laughed in my face. "Well, that's where you're wrong. I'm still Patrick's guardian, and I have the law on my side."

She was technically right, but time was running out as litigation and my 18th birthday approached. "Not for long," I said, enjoying the flare of her nostrils as my grin widened.

"You think you have a case?" Lauren said with an angry glint in her ice blue eyes.

"No thinking about it," Kat said, wedging herself between us and strong arming Lauren away from her car.

"Hey, hands off." Lauren swatted away Kat's hand and leveled me with her cool gaze. "I just came to talk."

I wrapped one arm around Kat and shoved the other hand in my pocket. "So talk."

She stubbed out her cigarette. "Come home, Patrick. It can be like it was before."

There was no turning back. "Before _what_?" I said.

"I kicked him out."

"Did you now? And how long will it be before the next shithead comes along?"

Lauren sighed. "Look, I know I've made poor choices…"

"Is _that_ what you're calling it?" I flashed a tight smile and locked eyes with Kat. "Theft and fraud are _so_ last week."

"Just like embezzlement and willful destruction of property?"

Lauren kicked at a rock with her boots. "Kids, I'm trying here…"

"Don't waste your breath," I said. "Save it for when you throw yourself on the mercy of the court."

Lauren's eyes narrowed and she turned on her heel without another word. Just before she was out of earshot, Kat called, "Don't worry, you'll look great in orange."


	61. Chapter 61

61

[Kat]

Cameron's mash up had gone viral and was now in the top 100 on YouTube. #tabithacookisaheinousbitch was a trending topic on Twitter, and she was vilified and slammed by a host of other social network sites.

Somehow, I had risen from pond scum to my 15 minutes of fame. I put on my sunglasses and waved at my adoring fans as we departed the parking lot and headed for Roy's place. After our little encounter with Lauren, Patrick's mood shifted to glum and I let him stew as we battled heavy traffic on our way into the city.

We got there and he left the car without a word. I checked my status on Twitter and saw that I now had 350 followers. "Way to go." I muttered to myself as I picked up my history book and went to town on my reading. That only ate up a half hour and I was already tired of studying.

There was a drug store next to Roy's office building, so I figured that was a good way to kill another twenty minutes. It was one of those super pharmacies that carried groceries and had a good selection of magazines, so I killed another ten with my nose buried in Zooey. I smirked at the selection of self-righteous celebrities and their causes, right up to the point where I spotted my doppelganger. She was helping some photographer get their rocks off with a Lewis Carroll theme, and I decided they'd both been smoking the same crack pipe as the author. The girl was pretty enough, but the kohl around her eyes shrieked of raccoon.

I shoved the magazine back into the stand and saw that I still had five minutes before I hustled Patrick home, to another night of painting, spackling, and delightful repartee.

Moving around a few huddled teens, I found myself face to face with a gleaming row of condoms, strategically placed next to home pregnancy kits. Our last unprotected excursion was only a few days ago, but counting back to our first oops, I figured it was worth taking the test since my period was already a few days late.

I approached the counter and groaned at the sight of Bethany Slater, Tabitha's closest friend. The other registers were closed and with a feeling of impending doom, I ducked down my head and handed her the kit. "Ooh, is this for you?" she said loudly.

My jaw muscles tightened as I smiled. "Naw, my aunt's visiting and asked me to pick it up."

With continued glee, she rang me up and held up the box for inspection. "EPT. Is this a good brand?"

I sighed. "Yeah, now do you mind? I'm running late."

Bethany snickered and gave me the once over. "No kidding."

I snatched the bag out of her hand and squashed down the urge to punch her when she said, "Tell your aunt good luck for me."

The momentum of my twisting body set me off balance and straight into a set of strong arms. "Careful there," said a familiar voice.

I looked up and blinked at the sight of Blank. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You're welcome," he said as I pulled myself from his grasp.

Patrick chose that moment to shove his way through the doors and he stopped at the sight of Blank. "Douche, we really have to stop meeting this way."

Blank's face reddened and rather than let him go all Ralph Macchio, I took Patrick's hand and yanked him along. "He's not worth it," I hissed.

Patrick looked back and grinned. "Funny, he says the same thing about me."

"C'mon, Grasshopper."

He followed along willingly and tried to look in my bag. "Ooh, what did you get me?"

"Nothing. Just some school supplies."

"Not even a snuggie? Jess stole mine."

"Nope." I unlocked the car and was happy to see a faint smile as he got in. "So it went well?"

Patrick shrugged. "We had a lot to discuss."

"I bet. Did Rachel's name come up?"

"It did."

"Good, so Roy knows everything."

I felt Patrick's gaze search my face. "Not everything."

This was the part we never discussed. "So you didn't…"

Some batty soccer mom swerved across three lanes and nearly took out my bumper. With a few choice words, I drowned out Patrick's response and turned on the final boulevard toward home. "You were saying?"

My right hand rested in my lap and I nearly sighed when his fingers wrapped around mine. "That's between you and me."

The drugstore bag glowed like a beacon near his feet. "About that…I bought a kit."

Patrick's fingers squeezed mine. "Isn't it too soon?"

"Maybe."

"And if it's not?"

I pulled into the driveway and put the car in Park. "Then we'll finally know." And so would the rest of the school once Bethany Slater got the word out about my "aunt".


	62. Chapter 62

62

[Patrick]

Supper was a silent affair, followed by Kat's exodus into the upstairs bathroom. It was a good half hour before she emerged, looking only slightly less pale than she had all day.

She passed me on her way out to the garage and gave me a hidden thumb's up. With a sigh of relief, I chased after her and caught her at the stairs to my future quarters. "Negative, right?"

"Right." There was no trace of a smile or even the slightest relief in her bleak gaze.

"That's great news."

I tried to pull her into my arms but she shook her head. "Is it? Maybe it's too soon."

Damn, I hated it when she did this. "Why can't you look at the bright side for once?"

Her dark eyes looked at me hotly. "Because, I know how these things go. You think you're out of the woods, and then…boom."

I rolled my eyes. "Sounds like your Dad talking there."

"Yeah? Well, maybe he's right."

"And maybe he's wrong too. You ever think of that?"

She looked unconvinced. "Whatever. I still have to get tested at the clinic."

I sighed. "Didn't they already test you?"

"Yeah, but they said to come back if my period was late."

I wasn't privy to her cycles, except noticing when she was crabbier than usual. "And is it?"

"Three days. And I'm _never_ late."

I thought about the underlying cause of cupcake carnage and wondered if stress could also mess up her period. "Maybe it's stress?"

Kat shrugged and started moving up the stairs. "C'mon, duty calls."

[Kat]

I was still mentally kicking myself for having unprotected sex. After all of Dad's lectures and all my education on safe sex, I had dropped the ball.

My personal playlist was doing nothing for me today, and I wondered how Patrick could zone out so completely and drop into a zone where he painted like a crazy person. He'd covered two walls to my one, and was starting on a third wall.

And _damn_, the way that tee shirt tightened on his back as he worked was way more distraction that I needed. I tried turning my back to him, but each time he dipped down to coat his roller, I stared at that fine ass of his. He caught me staring a few times and smirked knowingly before I moved back to my work.

Sweat was dripping down the back of my shirt and I was sorely tempted to yank it off and work in my camisole. But that would give Patrick the wrong idea, and I was supposed to be following the house rules.

Prince came on and the throbbing beats of one of his early album started telegraphing to my hips, which swayed to the beat as I finally made some progress. I snuck glances at Patrick as Prince's sexy croon seduced me and sent heat shooting through me. It was jungle heat, and when Patrick brushed against me on his way to the bathroom, I nearly jumped out of my skin with want.

[Patrick]

Kat and I were sweating like pigs in the close space of my future quarters. Wally was at the hospital, and Bianca was over at Dawn's, leaving the two if us unchaperoned.

I know what I wanted to do, but this pregnancy thing was clearly plaguing Kat. To make light if it, I said, "It's freaking hot up here. Maybe we should shed some clothes."

"Are you kidding me? You just want to get into my pants."

I pulled off my shirt with a grin, smiling even more at the dazed look in her eyes as I slowly let the shirt drop to my feet. "That's true," I said slowly, letting my hands rest on my belt buckle.

"Patrick, we made a promise."

"Mmm," I said. "We could go somewhere."

Light flared in her eyes and I could see she was tempted. "That would be so..."

"Wrong?"

"Yeah." She sounded disappointed, so I greased the pot by unbuckling my belt and sliding it out of my belt loops.

"You're not playing fair," she said in a whining tone.

I knew exactly what we both needed, so to make it easier I pulled a condom from my back pocket and held it up. "I have more if you're worried."

That earned me a disbelieving snort that turned into a lip biting event as I pulled my zipper down halfway, exposing my lower abs and a fringe of hair. "Damn you."

I picked up the brush and swept it in long, slow strokes that matched what I'd do to her once I changed her mind. Making sure she noticed, I made sure to reach high and let every muscle in my back and chest ripple with my work.

"The offer's still open," I said as I sank to the floor and stretched my arms overhead.

Her eyes darkened as I spread my legs slightly, which emphasized how very much I wanted her. "Of course it is."

Kat cursed under her breath before she caved and pulled her shirt off. Her camisole was modest enough, but she wore nothing under it and presented me with a lovely view. "There, are you happy?"

I opened my arms and to my surprise, she sank to her knees and buried her face in my neck. "Now I am." I kissed her ear lobe and worked my way to her shoulder as I turned her in my arms.

Kat ground her hips into mine impatiently and I stilled her movement with one hand. "Thought you wanted to take this somewhere else."

She nuzzled the side of my face with wet kisses. "Only if I don't explode first."

"Let me help defuse the bomb." With a smile, I ran my tongue along her lower lip and darted inside when her mouth opened under mine. I kept it light and sure enough, Kat deepened the kiss. Her mouth slanted across mine wildly, and then I forced her to slow it down. I flitted in and out with butterfly kisses that grew more intense with each flight, and left us both gasping as we came up for air.

[Kat]

We lay entwined for awhile and I was soothed by the comfortable silence. My mind was no longer plagued by the jangling disquiet of the past week, and I felt better than I had in awhile.

And despite our haste, we'd used protection and followed the safe sex rules even as we broke every other house rule.

By the time Bianca rolled in at 9, I was beating Patrick's ass at Doom. We ignored her eye rolls and sighs at our geekiness and laughed when she flounced up the stairs. Dad arrived home shortly after that, and the three of us watched the season finale of some PBS show that my Dad loved.

At 10, Dad pointed up the stairs and it was time to part company. I kissed Patrick chastely and smiled before following my Dad.

Patrick arrived at my window at 11:00 and we repeated our star show on the balcony, only this time Patrick handed me binoculars as I viewed various constellations.

"Those were my Dad's," he said as I handed them back.

"Did you guys do this together?"

He nodded. "Sometimes. He even took me to a star party once."

"Cool. Maybe we can do that sometime."

The light from my window painted his face in gold ripples as he turned away. "Maybe." Patrick had that closed off tone in his voice that told me to drop the subject.

"So, you were right," I said brightly.

"Of course I was." He looked over with a grin. "What was I right about?"

"It was stress all along." My period had arrived shortly after our horizontal bopping session.

"Hmm, so if we have more of it, you'll have nothing to worry about."

I punched his arm lightly. "Seriously, we're in the clear."

Patrick's smile lit up the night. "Except for the part where Bethany and Tabitha tell the whole school."

Crap, he was right. "And then my Dad will find out."

"Because of Miss Tharp?"

"Of course. I'm screwed…_again_."

He tucked my hair behind one ear. "Don't sweat it, Stratford. It's high time we paid her a visit."

"Are you kidding? I can't talk to her."

"Sure you can, and she's duty bound to keep it confidential."

I laughed. "Are you kidding? This is high school, not Law and Order."

"Maybe not, but it's worth a shot. Promise me you'll think about it."

"All right. Now you better scoot before Dad catches us out here."


	63. Chapter 63

63

[Patrick]

I thought Kat was exaggerating about the rumor mill, but it was all over school by the time we arrived on Wednesday.

Tabitha and Bethany brushed past us with smug smiles, and faculty members gave us the hairy eyeball as we strolled along.

Kat nudged me to one side. "I gained 500 Twitter followers overnight."

"Inquiring minds want to know."

She elbowed me. "This isn't funny."

"Sure it is. You're an overnight sensation. Nobody could have predicted this."

"Don't forget your part in this."

I smirked. "I'm already a legend."

This time she kicked my foot. "Oh, yeah? Just wait till I string you up on the flagpole."

"Been there, done that."

"Without clothes."

I feigned a yawn. "Is that all?"

"Duct-taped."

"_Ouch_. OK, so I won't start up a betting pool on whether your Twitter followers triple by tomorrow."

Kat was in my face. "Not if you value your life."

I held up my hands. "What can I do to help?"

Her locker was plastered with crudely drawn stick figures with bulging bellies. "Take out anyone you catch doing this."

"What are my limits?"

"No holds barred." Kat practically bared her teeth as she tore away a path to her lock.

Damn, she was glorious when she was pissed. "Seriously?"

She tapped my forearm hard. "Do whatever it takes, and don't get caught."

I saluted her. "Yes, ma'am. Anything else?"

Miss Tharp caught sight of us from the guidance office and beckoned me with one finger. "Leave her to me."

[Kat]

I made sure I was out of hugging range before plopping myself down. "I'll be late for class," I said.

Miss Tharp waved a book of hall passes. "I have it covered."

Of course she did. "What's this about?"

"Everyone knows, Kat." She pushed a box of tissues in my direction.

Was she kidding? I was ready to go Rambo on someone, not cry my lungs out over my sorry plight. I shoved the box so hard it skidded across the desk and landed in her lap. "Knows what?"

Darlene's lips pursed slightly with impatience as she restored the tissues to their former home. "You're a bright girl. Surely you know what people are saying."

"Do I look like I care?" I folded my arms and feigned boredom as I stared back at her.

"You put on a brave front, but I sense the wounded soul hiding inside."

"The only wounds are the ones I'll inflict on the next person who defaces my locker."

She wrapped her arms around herself and I nearly puked when she gave herself a hug. "I feel your pain, sweetie."

When had this turned into terms of endearment? "Seriously? I think I'll go hurl now."

Miss Tharp's eyes widened. "So the rumors are true?"

I rolled my eyes. "Could be. Can I go now?"

She looked at my blessedly flat abdomen before sitting back in her chair. "Of course you can, but I thought you might want to talk over your options."

That sent me straight to my feet. "_If_ I had a problem, you'd be the last person I'd seek out."

Darlene looked genuinely cast down by this statement. "That's too bad, because I really thought we'd made progress when I backed you on that trip to Nepal."

I put my hands on my hips and eyed her with disgust. "So we're trading favors now?"

She shook her head. "Please, you misunderstand…I'm only trying to help."

Dad was only a phone call away, and I knew they were knocking boots. "By help, you mean ratting me out to my Dad."

Darlene caught my arm before I could leave. "I would _never_ betray a confidence."

I cocked my head. "You expect me to believe that?"

"I have an oath of confidentiality to uphold," Darlene said with complete conviction.

I snorted. "But there are always exceptions."

"Of course, but not this one. Whatever you tell me stays in this room."

This would be a good time to test that theory. "There's nothing to tell. I bought a pregnancy kit and it was negative. Case closed."

Miss Tharp breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

I nodded. "Now, can I please go? I have an English test and I don't want to lose any more time."

"Of course." She signed a pass with a flourish and I snatched it out of her hands.

"Thanks." I was nearly out the door when she pulled a Detective Columbo on me.

"Just one more thing."

My breath hitched impatiently. "What now?"

"I can't do anything to stop the rumors, and it's possible your Dad will catch wind of this."

That would blow. "Noted."

I passed by her window and shuddered when she flashed me with another of those creepy self hugs.

[Patrick]

It was lunch time, and I was hungry, tired, and pissed off. Between the growling of my stomach and my perpetual scowl, it was enough to send people skittering nervously out of my path.

I was on the second floor corridor overlooking the quad when I caught Charlie Woo scrawling a pregnant stick figure across my locker. He never heard my fist coming and it sent him sliding down the hall, where he bowled over some gaping geeks from the AV club.

Two giant steps brought me back into range. "You'll pay for this."

"I'm s-sorry. Someone paid me to draw on your locker."

"Don't care." I grabbed the collar of his hoodie and dragged him to the railing. His frightened squeals drew every eye upward, which only fueled my anger.

"You really don't want to do this," Charlie gasped, his finger pointing toward the frowning faces of Holland and her sidekick Dick.

"Sure I do." I flipped him upside down and dangled him over the railing by one leg. He had enough sense to stop thrashing as I glared at the mongers gaping up at us.

"You'll live in detention for a year," he warned.

Dick and Principal Holland were running toward the stairs. I had just enough time to get my message out before they put an end to my fun. "The rumors end here," I yelled. "If I catch any of you passing your nasty lies or vandalizing my girlfriend's property, you'll have me to answer to. Got it?"

There was a collective nod before their attention veered to the shit about to rain down on me.


	64. Chapter 64

64

Note: Sorry this is so short. Work is totally sucking the creative life out of me, and on top of that, I am having surgery in less than two weeks, so I am a wreck. Just wanted to offer this tiny tidbit until I get back to some proper writing (hopefully this weekend).

[Patrick]

Principal Holland and I sat staring each other down before she said, "We can sit here all day, Mr. Verona, or you can tell me why you attacked Charlie Woo."

I shrugged. "He bugs me."

Her eyebrows lowered as she glared at me. "_Everyone_ bugs you. Try again."

My eyes traveled to the ceiling before returning to her face. "He stalks my girlfriend." There was a sliver of truth in there.

Surprise registered on her face. "Didn't know she qualified. When did this miraculous event happen?"

I smirked. "Somewhere between suspension and make up sex."

Her cheeks flushed slightly. "Aha, I knew it."

"Knew what?" I yawned loudly and slouched in my chair.

"This." She shoved one of Charlie's crude stick figure sketches at me.

I shook my head. "It's a pack of lies, started by that conniving…"

"That's enough, Patrick," she said quietly. "You can't go beating up everyone who crosses you."

"Huh. How about skinning them alive?"

Her face darkened as she threw up her hands. "Hannibal is _so_ last week."

I snapped my fingers. "Damn."

She picked up the phone with a sigh. "I hate calling your mother down here, but you leave me no choice."

I lunged for the receiver and yanked it from her fingers. "Don't."

"Excuse me?" Holland said, her tone rising as she snatched the phone back. "Sit down."

"You can't call her," I said, my arms crossing defensively as I glared back at her and returned to my seat.

"Really? Why is that?"

I heard the click of boots before a familiar voice chimed in with, "Because _I'm_ his mother."

[Kat]

I passed by the office on my way to the bathroom and froze when I saw Rachel and Principal Holland going at it. Hands were emoting and I almost expected fur to float out the door. Smirking students passed by and I growled at their backs before finding myself drawn to the window.

It was no more than a second before Patrick caught me gawking, and he rolled his eyes and shooed me off with one hand.

With a frustrated sigh, I stepped back into the flow of traffic and saw Tabitha and Bethany emerging from the restroom. Tabitha took a drink from the fountain and rejoined her friend before heading in my direction. Without thinking, I ducked behind a bank of lockers and just before they were abreast of me, I stuck out my foot and smiled widely when they both went down. Books flew one way and water spouted from Tabby's lips and straight into the face of an enraged Principal Holland.

She pointed to me and jerked her head sideways. "In my office, now!"

"With pleasure," I said, my voice almost purring when I rejoined my beloved Patrick and his frazzled parent.

Rachel threw me a half smile. "Fancy meeting you here."

Holland sighed. "I see you've met. Are you standing in for the good doctor today?"

"Yes. Walter got a call from Miss Tharp and alerted me to a possible problem. Since I was in the area, I was happy to stop by."

The words 'got a call from Miss Tharp' burned themselves into my brain and I felt so betrayed that I sat down mutely and waited for my punishment.


	65. Chapter 65

65

[Patrick]

"Why are you here?" I asked after Holland flicked her fingers and dismissed me and Kat with a week of detention.

"Nice to see you too," Rachel said.

I looked between her and Kat and smirked. "Admit it. _Neither_ of you can resist me."

Rachel exchanged a look with Kat. "Is he always like this?"

Kat nodded with a grin. "Always."

Rachel smiled back. "Is it catching?"

I saw people gawking as we passed, and wanted her gone before the rumor mill started up again. "Yeah, better run."

She looked down at her leather jacket and heavy boots. "In this get up? Not gonna happen."

Her eyes lifted and the earnest look on her face pierced through me. "Why not? Everyone else does."

Rachel's eyes shifted to Kat. "Not everyone."

Emotion closed my throat and I looked away to compose myself. "So why are you really here?" I managed to say after a long pause.

A jingle brought my head up. Rachel uncurled my fingers and dropped a set of keys into my hand. "Your ride awaits you, as promised."

My mouth opened and closed as she backed away. "Seriously?"

She nodded and fished out a large yellow envelope. "The paperwork is inside, along with some light reading."

I didn't know what to say, and by the time thank you came to mind, Rachel was long gone.

[Kat]

Patrick ran his hands across the seat of his new bike. "Plenty of room for two." He threw me a sexy smirk that nearly melted me on the spot.

I cocked my head with a grin. "With matching helmets. Rachel thought of everything."

"Wonder where she got off to?" He sounded a bit hurt by her abrupt departure.

I touched his shoulder. "Don't worry. She's in this for the long haul."

Patrick captured my fingers with his. "What about you?"

The deep dark of his eyes nearly swallowed me whole. "I'm not going anywhere…except maybe detention."

The sight of Holland tapping her watch broke our reverie. "A whole week of garbage detail. How will I ever cope?"

I dug my elbow into his side. "How about the sight of me in a sexy, orange vest?"

His mouth twisted into a half smile. "Promise not to harpoon me?"

I winced slightly. "I'll try to keep the crazy at bay."

He slapped my palm lightly. "It's a deal."

[Patrick]

The light reading turned out to be copies of paperwork for my emancipation. Rachel had already filed on my behalf, and now it was up to the judge. With a silent whoop, I speared a half eaten veggie burger with extra gusto.

"I'm almost free," I said, knowing Kat would pick up on it.

"Were those court papers?"

"Uh-huh."

"That was fast." Kat offered me a dusty hot dog, which I pretended to lunge for before she tossed it in her sack.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

She came around and searched my face with her keen eyes. "You OK with all this?"

I'd been gung ho just a week ago when Rachel and Jason told me all my options, and how I could send Lauren away for a long time. Only, seeing her sprawled on Kat's car showed me how truly pathetic she was. "Sort of."

"You don't sound convinced."

My eyes drifted to the bone dry California hills that ringed our school like a mud fortress. When I looked back at her, I said, "It's like someone else's life."

Kat nodded. "Like those dumb reality shows Bianca mainlines?"

"Exactly like that." I dug my spike into the ground and leaned on it for a moment.

"Only it has a happy ending."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Does it?"

That brought her chin up. "Look, I'm just saying…"

"I know. Can we _please_ talk about something else?"

Kat seemed slightly hurt that I was shutting her out, but she rallied quickly and we passed the remaining hour dissing Padua's mouth breathers and their mountains of trash.

[Kat]

We pulled up just after 4 and I cursed silently at the Subaru blocking my spot. A surf board was lashed to the top, and I heard Patrick mutter Jess's name as we mounted the stairs. We pushed through the freshly painted door and stopped dead at the sight of Rachel and Jess painting the final coat on Patrick's loft.

"Hey," I said loudly, my voice easily knifing through Smashing Pumpkin's Gish album.

They turned in unison with smiles wreathing their faces. "Surprise," Rachel said, frowning slightly when Patrick didn't reciprocate.

"Did Wally put you up to this?" Patrick asked.

"Naw, I had time to kill, so I called Jess and he agreed to help out."

A faint smile ghosted Patrick's lips. "Of course he did."

Jess slipped past us on his way to the bathroom. "You owe me, Verona."

"So what else is new?" Patrick tossed his jacket onto the floor and rolled up his sleeves. He examined the knee wall before saying, "If we work together, we can wrap this up by midnight."

My mouth dropped open and he laughed at my expression. "Many hands make light work."

I rolled my eyes at him throwing my own words back at me. "I remember."

Jess and Rachel joked between themselves and continued their hushed conversation as I cleaned off my brush and put it aside to dry. "What's up with them?"

Patrick shrugged. "Nothing important."

I followed him out and caught the words cello and grandmother before their conversation was drowned out by the sound of Dad arriving home.


	66. Chapter 66

66

[Patrick]

Rachel and Jess joined us for dinner, along with Kat's Public Enemy #1, Darlene Tharp.

"Maybe you should cut her some slack," I said after listening to a ten minute litany of Darlene's many faults.

"I can't believe you're defending her." Kat's furious hiss sounded like a snake on the loose.

"It's not like that." It was easy to stay calm over something so blessedly simple. "I'm just saying…"

She rolled her eyes. "_Talk_ to her already."

I inhaled half a mountain of potatoes. "Exactly," I said through a mouthful of Rachel's awesome spuds.

She traced the word manners on my arm, and every part of me stood at attention as her nails scraped lightly down my arm. I shuddered slightly when her hand dropped to my thigh and threw her a warning glance when Wally's laser beam stare caught us in his crosshairs.

We smiled and put both sets of hands where he could see them. "You'll pay for that," I said softly.

"Do you accept rain checks?"

I made a haha sound. "So, who gets the couch tonight?"

"Excuse me?" Kat looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

I loved how easy it was to fire her up. "After all my hard work, I think I've earned a good night's sleep."

Wally chose that exact moment to tune in to our exchange and he completely misconstrued my words. "I agree, son. And I bet you can't wait to settle into your new quarters."

"Maybe in a few days," I said through a bite of roll. "When the paint fumes have subsided."

Rachel tapped her knife on her plate. "Don't sweat it. Pat can bunk with me at Jess's for a few days."

Was she completely insane? There was no way I was coming within a mile of Jess's crazy sisters. Every time I stayed for dinner, I felt lucky to escape with my hide intact. They didn't understand the concept of personal space, and thought nothing of planting themselves in my lap, or running their fingers through my hair. And that was only the 5-year-old. The two oldest girls had thrown themselves in my path like damsels in distress, forcing me to carry them one by one to the house, where they pouted and simpered while their mother fussed over them. I fled before another one of them could swoop down o me. "Thanks, but I'll stay here."

Jess made a face at me behind Wally's back. "Thanks a lot, dude. My sisters will be crushed."

I laughed. "They'll get over it."

His green eyes gleamed at me. "You're right, because a week from Friday is the big concert."

My skin started crawling. "This is a joke, right?"

"Nope, you promised to play cello in return for the many favors you owe me."

I wanted to slide under the table and hide from all the scrutiny. Darlene Tharp practically cooed before saying, "You're a musician, Patrick? I had no idea."

Kat threw me a sympathetic glance before throwing in her two cents. "And he wants to keep it that way."

Darlene sat back slightly. "But why? Music is a wonderful career path."

I snickered. "Which pays like three cents an hour. I can make way more working at the garage."

Miss Tharp wasn't giving up on me. "But what about following your heart?"

My eyes wandered over to Kat. "Already covered."

Kat caught my unfettered gaze and swallowed hard. "Will you guys let him be?"

Wally said, "We're just trying to help."

I stopped the nervous motion of Kat's fingers, sensing she was about to launch into one of her rants. "And I appreciate it, but don't waste your time, dude. I'm not college bound, and I don't care about my grades."

Now the silence was deafening, and I could almost hear the shatter of a million expectations as they crashed and burned. With a fake smile, I pushed aside my plate and stood up without another word. My new bike and the cool night breeze were beckoning me, and I was flying down the driveway before I realized Kat was running after me. I stopped long enough for her to clamber on behind me, and we were off into the night.


	67. Chapter 67

67

[Kat]

A comfortable silence surrounded us as we sat with hands entwined, backs to a still-sun-warmed stone wall. Patrick seemed content to just be in the moment, and I knew he'd eventually talk about the drama surrounding him. Still, I had an insatiable need to burrow inside his head and get the scoop on what made him tick. Knowing that would never happen, I had to be satisfied when he gifted me with rare and profound moments of clarity.

"So, all that stuff you said," I said, hoping to nudge open the door just a tiny bit.

His dark eyes were deep wells as he glanced over at me. "I meant every word."

I dug my toes into the sand. "Even the musical angle? Just think what you could do once your trust fund..." My voice trailed back to silence when he challenged me with his 'back off' look.

After a long beat, Patrick said, "It's a nice idea, but it's not me."

"But you're smart...you can do _anything_."

Again he threw me that inscrutable look. "Can I?"

I nodded my head. "Of course you can."

He laughed and picked up a smooth stone in his right hand. His fingers glanced across it before he chucked it hard into the encroaching surf. "I'm sure you believe that."

"The fact that you _don't_ is the problem."

His hand tightened imperceptibly. "Save it, OK? I've heard this a million times."

"And maybe you need to hear it again. The only thing holding you back is _you_."

Patrick straightened and slipped his hand from mine. "Maybe you're right, but I don't give a damn."

And with that grenade tossed at me, he stood and walked away at a fast clip.

[Patrick]

I dropped Kat at her house and decided to take a long ride to clear my head. But the usual peace I found when the night rushed at me eluded me as I chewed up miles of coastal highway. Instead, it was replaced with an agonizing playback of my exchange with Kat. She meant well, and I knew how much she cared, but her concern sprang from the same conventional box that normal people placed around themselves.

None of it made sense to me, and all I wanted was the freedom to explore what interested me and not what some college curriculum dictated. With a trust fund, I could do just that. If I felt like studying engine design, I could pursue that. Or I could expand my musical horizons just as Tharp had suggested, but I wasn't about to admit that maybe she was on to something.

So I did what I always did by throwing up my walls and running away. By the time I returned to Kat's house, it was well past midnight and only a single light burned in the kitchen. When I made my way toward the fridge, I almost stumbled over a sleeping Rachel. Her head was nestled in her arms on the kitchen table, and she looked beyond uncomfortable. That she might be waiting up for me was not something I was used to, and it would be easier to let her sleep and creep away to the couch.

Indecision weighed me and I finally touched her shoulder. "Hey," I said when she roused. "Waiting up for me?"

She smiled sleepily. "Mmm...I was worried. What time is it?"

"Beyond late. Weren't you supposed to bunk over at Jess's?"

Rachel shrugged. "That was the plan."

"Did you two love birds have a falling out?" I said with a grin, knowing full well that Jess had a major crush on her.

She frowned. "That's _so _not funny."

Something in her eyes suddenly clued me in. "He didn't."

Rachel's heavy sigh was all the answer I needed. "It's totally my fault."

I remembered their flirtatious antics when they'd been painting up in the loft. "Not all of it. The guy's a player."

"Maybe so, but I encouraged it."

She wasn't used to the whole commitment thing. "I get it. So does this mean the concert's off?"

That made her laugh. "Not a chance."

I took out my wallet (mostly empty) and peered at it. "Can I sway you with an empty Starbucks card?"

"Nope."

There were three dusty pennies in my back pocket, so I tossed them out. "How about some vintage copper?"

"That will only get me a cross look and a boot in the ass at the local bank."

I laughed. "Those are extinct."

Rachel snapped her fingers. "Dang."

"But all that aside, when's this legal crap going down?"

Her smile fell away. "Jason's filed charges, and Lauren's lawyer has requested a meeting."

"When?"

"Next week."

That news settled in my gut like a lead weight. "So soon."

"'Fraid so."

"And here I thought it was my charm that drew you down here."

Rachel touched my shoulder with a tired smile. "That too."

[Kat]

I heard his bike when he returned, but even then I didn't rest easy. Despite appearances, I hated fighting with him. Sparring was one thing, but those dark, sullen silences ate away at me.

A short time later, he tapped at my window and motioned for me to come outside. I climbed through and pulled my blanket behind me. "Where have you been?"

"Nowhere." He wrapped the blanket around both of us and pulled me close. "Everywhere."

"And how did that work out for you?" I said, my light tone belying my concern.

"It didn't."

"Sorry," I said.

"Don't sweat it." Patrick kissed my cheek and rested his hand on my cheek. "Maybe you can make it up to me."

I licked my lips nervously, and that drew him in. Patrick brushed his lips across mine lightly and withdrew when I tried to deepen the kiss. "Stop that," I said with a growl.

"What, kissing you?" He smirked at my obvious frustration and swooped in for another lip slide.

"Teasing me," I said once I could catch my breath.

"You mean this?" He kissed one corner of my mouth and leaned back with a grin. "Or did you mean this?"

_This _was a mind-melting, toe-curling kiss that incinerated me. "Yeah," I said in dazed wonder.

Both of us were breathing hard, and knew we had to put on the brakes. "Wish I could stay with you."

"Yeah," I said again, my usual coherence sacrificed on the altar of teenage lust.

"But the warden would hate that."

I thought about our recent entanglement on the floor of his loft. "You have no idea."

Patrick's smile almost lit up the night. "Hey, maybe I could bunk with him. What do you think?"

We both laughed at the ridiculous thought of Patrick curling up next to my snoring Dad. "Better sleep with one eye open."


	68. Chapter 68

To my patient readers,

I am sorry I haven't updated. Life has been overly busy, as it always is around the holidays, plus I have been dealing with pet /family health issues.

The chapter I post next will be the last one, and it will resolve everything I started.

I have a fair amount of time off coming around Christmas, so I expect to have this wrapped up shortly after the New Year.

Happy Holidays to all of you.


	69. Chapter 69

69

Note: So I realize it's been over two months since my last update. Sorry for the delay. I am dealing with a lot of churn in my life, and it makes it hard to write. But I managed this and will continue on with what I think is the last chapter. Thanks for hanging in there.

[Patrick]

We were sitting in my freshly painted loft at an antique kitchen table Rachel had procured on Craigslist. The table and chairs were of varying vintage, but most were old when Kennedy was president.

Lauren called me a dozen times throughout the weekend and it only stopped when Rachel snatched the phone from me. "Stop calling, or we'll slap an injunction on you."

She held the phone away and I almost managed a grin at the figurative bile pouring through the handset. Between 'he's my son' and 'you'll pay for this, bitch', it hit the gutter in record time. Rachel powered off the phone and made a face at me. "Why don't you call block her?"

I shrugged. "Can't afford it."

She stared at me over a heaping pile of flapjacks. "It's free."

Computers and technology weren't really my thing. I eyed her untouched food and said, "Good to know. You plan on eating those before they turn into a lab experiment?"

Rachel pushed the plate at me. "Have at 'em." She watched me eat for awhile before adding, "It's going to get nasty."

My fork was poised to dive in. "Already is."

[Kat]

Patrick's hearing was on Tuesday morning. He kept ducking my questions, but I finally headed him off at the pass. "I'm going with you."

His dark gaze skewered me. "Are you now?"

"I want to be there for you."

"Of course you do."

If only I could profit from the sarcasm pouring from his veins. "Look, I'm only trying to help."

He touched the top of my hand briefly. "And I appreciate it, but Jason has it covered."

Fatigue wasn't helping my memory. "Huh?"

"Rachel's hot hunka burning love?"

He'd obviously overheard me talking to Bianca. "It's not nice to eavesdrop."

This earned me a grin. "You should know."

I flashed my best simper and almost laughed when he mirrored it. "Seriously, I want to help."

Patrick touched the side of my face and his palm seemed to burn my skin. "Oh, _seriously_."

That brought me straight back to the night of the fire and he was striding away by the time I realized how skillfully he'd deflected me.

[Patrick]

I was sitting in Roy's waiting room flipping through an ancient copy of Rolling Stone. My therapist was long on helping patients and short on amenities. Not that I cared, but Lauren had always made cutting remarks about his digs. Which was pretty funny coming from her, the tattoo queen with the snake slithering down her spine. Somewhere between her many miscarriages, she'd hardened into cold diamond. I'd stopped calling her Mom way before Rachel declared herself to me, and I was rapidly losing any sympathy for the train wreck she'd become.

A quick glance at the clock revealed that Rachel and Roy had been going at it for over an hour. By the time I reached the record reviews, they finally emerged and both of them smiled at me. "Are we good?"

Rachel ruffled my hair affectionately. "We're great. You hungry?"

I flashed my 'are you kidding me' look. "Depends. If it's California fusion, I'm outta here."

She bumped my arm with her fist. "Brat. How about that steak place you mentioned?"

"Hal's?" I was practically salivating at the thought of their incredible rib eye steaks.

"Am I invited?" Roy's voice broke through my Pavlovian state.

I laughed. "Didn't you hear? Dogs and therapists not allowed."

Roy's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "We should catch up first."

That wasn't part of the plan. "_Now_?"

Rachel kicked my foot. "We have all day," she said with an evil grin.

I groaned inwardly and followed Roy into his lair. My usual seat was cleared of its usual teetering pile of journals and I sat back with arms behind my head. "So, what's this about?"

He regarded me calmly over his cup of green tea. "I thought we could discuss your relationship with Rachel."

That was a touchy subject. "What did she tell you?"

Roy looked down at his copious notes. "Everything."

I sighed. "So what do you need from me?"

He tapped his pen a few times. "We haven't talked in a few weeks. How are you handling things?"

"OK." I hadn't given my situation more than a passing thought, which was par for the course with me. Better to bury it than let the moldering rot of my life come out to play.

"Really? So you've wholly accepted Rachel's actions?"

This conversational tack was a ticking time bomb. "Sure," I said casually. "She was a kid. What other options did she have?"

Roy wasn't buying it. "Pure rhetoric."

I hissed impatiently. "It's done, Roy. I'd like to move on."

"Can't do that until you take care of the past."

"Screw the past."

Roy was used to my outbursts and he merely waited until I composed myself. "It's not that simple."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you would say that. I'm one of your best customers, and if things are resolved, you'll lose your cash cow."

He smiled faintly as I stood up and threw a crumpled twenty at him. "You're only fooling yourself, Patrick."

"That's my choice." My terse words were lost in the clamor of Roy's desk phone. Seeing an escape, I jetted before he could call me back and trotted down the stairs with Rachel hard on my heels.

"Where's the fire?" Rachel called as we reached the car.

"At Hal's Steak House."

"And I suppose that rib eye has your name on it."

"Exactly." I peeled out of the parking lot and was happy to see an empty parking lot when we arrived. My mood turned to dismay when the 'Closed' sign registered.

"Crap," Rachel said. "Any other ideas?"

There was an In-N-Out across the street. "I guess we can go there."

"Seriously?"

My ravenous hunger was making me seriously pissed. "Can we just eat already?"

With that, Rachel took the wheel and steered us over to fifteen minutes of food hell. Her order was a chocolate milkshake and fries. "Now _that's_ fusion," I said acidly.

She made a face before pulling a vial from her purse and pouring something on her fries. "Just the way I like it."

I recognized the smell of vinegar. "Are you kidding me?"

Rachel offered me some. "You should try it."

"No thanks." I reached across her and used half the ketchup bottle on my fries.

She peered at my tower of tomato and smiled. "Want some fries with that?"

"Only in my next life."


	70. Chapter 70

70

Note from the author: Sorry about the lack of updates. My life = total crap right now. Writing is the last thing on my mind. I do promise to finish the story, but I can't promise when that will be.


	71. Chapter 71

Dear Readers, It has been a few months since I last posted and let you know that things were tough in my family. Well, that was only the calm before the storm.

My brother requires a heart transplant and is on a waiting list for a heart.

My mom is in hospital and it appears that she has metastasis all over her body. Her remaining time might be counted in days.

My problems seem small compared to theirs, but the stress of these health issues coupled with possible job loss and a home that was partially wrecked by the awful winter we had in the Northeast has made the last 6 months particularly unpleasant for me.

As you can imagine, writing fanfic kind of falls by the wayside, as has my music review writing. However, I feel that with the one year anniversary of the show's cancellation coming up soon, that could be capped with a finish to Secret Life.

I cannot make any promises as I have no way of knowing how many foul balls life is going to pitch at me.

So please be patient, and stay with me for this, and I promise a happy ending for our two favorite characters.

Thanks.


	72. Chapter 72

72

[Kat]

We'd collided with want and after nearly incinerating one another, he'd rested his palms on both sides of my face. "This isn't your fight."

It was the night before his hearing, and my brain was screaming at me to act. "B-but…"

His cool fingers stilled my protest. "Threw that one out with the ifs and ands."

"Haha." I made a face, which promptly made him grin like an idiot.

"See? It's not so hard."

On the contrary, stepping down from my proverbial soap box was sheer torture. "Says you."

His dark eyes caressed my face. "I'm not one of your causes, Kat."

I loved and hated the way his mouth stroked my name, because even when his hand slipped down my leg, it's clear he was distracting me. When his tongue started tracing patterns on my fevered skin, I knew I am lost.

[Patrick]

We were ensconced at Jess's love shack, stealing a few hours before Walter expected us home for dinner. Today's excuse was detention for Kat and therapy for me. As I watched her sleep, she moaned my name and that hardened me all over again.

Kat opened one eye, which widened when she saw my aroused state. "Wow, that's…"

"Impressive?" I arched one eyebrow and laughed when she pushed me back against the headboard.

"Full of yourself, aren't you?" Kat's growl was muted when I thrust upward and rolled her under me.

I licked around her ear and groaned when she undulated in a certain way. "Actually, so are you."

Her smile broadened as I picked up the pace, only satisfied when her toes curled and left welts in my back.

[Patrick]

I ignored the alarm for the first half hour and finally put it out of its misery when it hit 7:00. But none of that deterred a determined Rachel, who threw up the shades and said, "Rise and shine, sleepyhead."

With a hiss of annoyance, I glared at her over the top of my covers. "Do you mind?"

Her answering grin (so like mine) did nothing to improve my mood, nor did the comb she tossed at me. "Do something about that sex hair."

A laugh gurgled out as I examined her storm-tossed mane and threw the comb back at her. "You first."

She pretended to primp her hair. "I spent extra time getting ready."

I jumped up and stretched. "Yeah? Must have been a quick thirty seconds in that wind tunnel."

"Thanks." Rachel pulled her hair back into a ponytail and eyed the black suit I had hanging on the back of my closet. "_Nice_…for a funeral."

I nodded. "Exactly."

She touched my shoulder. "Don't worry. If Lauren gets out of line, I'll nail her to the wall."

"Not if I beat you to it," I said, staring at the door and hoping she'd get the hint. "Now, if you don't mind, I better get ready."

[Kat]

Patrick hadn't answered my late night texts, and when I'd called early this morning, he'd picked up and said, "Are you kidding?"

"Are you sure I can't tag along?" Surely he needed some moral support.

He groaned. "Yeah."

"Call me later?" It wasn't a request.

"Promise," he said with a yawn.

"Hope it goes well."

"OK." And with that, he hung up on me. With a frown, I sat back on my heels and wondered why he wouldn't let me in. My frustration lasted through breakfast and right up to the moment when I backed down the driveway just as Rachel pulled up. As we passed, I mouthed a silent 'Good luck' and went on my way to my favorite hellhole.


	73. Chapter 73

Dear Readers,

Once again, I must apologize for the long wait between chapters. My Mom passed away on May 6th, and I am in charge of her estate, so between work, family, and estate details, I am pretty much fried by the end of the day. And I want you all to know that I really want to finish this and give our favorite characters a good ending.

Just a hint: Patrick will have more family than he knows what to do with. Stay tuned.


	74. Chapter 74

Another tiny update:

As the months go by, I feel increased pressure to finish this story, and I don't need the stress, so it doesn't happen.

This has been such a horrible year on so many levels and I am tired. It takes incredible mental energy (at least for me) to write creatively, and my job and general life situation suck me dry.

So it's hard to motivate myself.

I have at least returned to my music writing, and that is a start. And the characters still speak to me, even if they are off in the distance.

So at some point, I will finish, as a last gift to my fans. Because there's nothing worse than being left hanging, is there? But after this story, I am finished with fanfic writing. There is too much that occupies me in life, and if I do write again creatively, it will be my own original work.

Happy Holidays to you all (they will be upon us before you know it).

Peace!


	75. Chapter 75

74

[Patrick]

Rachel straightened my collar and helped me with my tie. "There," she said with a pat to my shoulder. She circled around and finally nodded. "You'll do."

"Good to know. Anything else?"

She looked at me thoughtfully. "Naw. Let's get this over with."

I hopped in her car and smirked at the pine tree hanging from the mirror. "Dude, seriously?"

Rachel smiled and pointed at a bottle opener in the cup holder. "Also free."

I cocked my head and heard the telltale knocking of a badly tuned engine. "Makes up for the crappy car."

"Hey, it's borrowed."

"From where? The salvage yard?"

"Haha."

The car backfired as we took a corner and I grinned. "So, Cheech, what happens next?"

She sighed. "Justice."

Things never went my way. Why would now be any different? "You really believe that?"

We came to a stop light and she looked at me for a second. "Believing is all I have."

"You have that much faith in the legal system?"

The light turned to green but she hesitated, earning us an annoyed honk from the driver behind us. As we finally moved again, Rachel said, "Nope, just in Jason. He'll take her to the cleaners."

I knew it was only an expression, but she had to know that Laurel was tapped out. "That's not going to happen."

Her breath hissed out in annoyance. "You haven't seen him in action."

"Doesn't matter. There's nothing left."

We arrived at the courthouse, where she braked suddenly to avoid hitting Lauren, who scooted across the lot in teetering heels. She turned and gave us the finger, only lowering it when she spotted Rachel glaring at her. With an embarrassed smile, Lauren turned and ran inside. Rachel finally said, "You are so right. Let's do this."

[Kat]

The silence was deafening. No texts, no phone calls, and it was already lunch time. Surely something had happened by now. I was on edge, and ready to take down anyone who got in my way. When Tabitha Cook shoved into me in passing, I dug my nails into my palm to keep my right hook in check. She watched me with a smug smile before moving off, and I swore under my breath.

Patrick and I were on Holland's shit list, and I had no desire for permanent detention, so I took a cleansing breath and sagged against my locker. My left thumbnail was merely the appetizer for my growing indigestion, and I ended up tossing my tofurkey rollup into the nearest dumpster.

I had ten minutes to kill, so I slunk into the handicapped stall and finished work on my left pinkie. My black polish was already chipped, so I started flicking bits all over the floor while I fretted over my inability to help Patrick. And his dogged determination to keep me at arm's length frustrated me even more. There was so much I could say and do on his behalf. Didn't he see that?

Maybe he would see the light if I showed up without warning. It would get me out of a boring student council meeting where Blank and Tabby would glare at me between their nauseating flirt sessions, and I would hurl mentally while counting the number of times Buzz said 'like' between whatever point he'd fail to make.

So I played the sick card, and the nurse sent me out with a note to Dad, which I promptly tossed in the back seat. I'd swing back to pick up Bianca and they'd be none the wiser. In the meantime, I could book down to the courthouse and go to bat for Team Patrick.

[Patrick]

I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't the scrubbed and polished batch of adults staring at me as I pushed through the door.

Even Lauren and her asshole boyfriend approached presentable. Lauren's dress managed to hide her crotch, and there was no sign of Dick's ass crack. I would call that a win. I smirked at Dick's piggish expression and could almost see the steam rising from his chrome dome. "I like the comb over, dude."

Dick's fingers balled into a fist. "So help me..."

Lauren touched his arm. "Richard, you're not suppose to..."

"I don't give a damn." Dick stood up and pointed a meaty finger at me. "This piece of shit ruined my engine and I want his blood."

"Ooh, scary." I had nothing but contempt for Lauren, but my feelings for her fuck buddy bordered on hatred. "'Cuz I get it's OK to drive over my bike..._repeatedly_."

Rachel looked over and shook her head. "Don't sink to his level."

"Too late." I sat between Jason and Rachel, clearly showing no allegiance to the woman formerly known as Mommy Dearest.

The Hon. Judge Felicia Grant entered and banged down her gavel. From there it got down and dirty, with accusations flying on one side and Jason's calm voice expressing his dismay over the 'licentious lifestyle' and 'flagrant misuse of a trust fund' by Lauren and Dick.

Finally the judge intervened and looked over at me. "What do _you_ think, Patrick?"

I was disgusted and bored and wanted to be done with this. "Didn't give it much thought."

The judge smiled tightly and waved her hand to indicate the adults. "But they obviously have."

"Yeah, I guess." I looked skyward for a second before giving Felicia a shrug. "I'd say throw them into solitary, but they're both dumber than rocks and won't learn a thing."

I could see Jason fighting a smile before he looked at the judge. "He's right, your Honor."

"What about punitive damages?"

Jason started to speak but I stopped him cold when I stood up. "There's no point."

Felicia cocked her head slightly. "And why is that?"

"They're tapped out."

Jason nodded in agreement before approaching the bench with a sheaf of documents. "He's right."

Judge Grant looked through everything carefully before fixing a steely eye on Lauren. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Mrs. Verona. If it were up to me, I'd send you to Lompoc and throw away the key."

"But that's a men's prison," Lauren said.

"_Exactly_," the judge said. "You'd be right at home." Lauren looked annoyed and went back to staring sullenly at her bright fuchsia nails.

Felicia looked back at me. "I have a thought, Patrick. Would you mind stepping to the bench?"

I'm not sure how we managed it, but we'd lucked out with this judge. When she showed me what she planned, I nodded once. "That's cool."

"So glad you approve."

I sat back and my grin widened as the judge assigned 300 hours of community service and 1 year of substance counseling to both of them.

Lauren stood up to protest and the judge glared at her. "Sit down, Mrs. Verona."

"But you have to understand..."

"I understand completely. Now if you don't sit down, I'll hold you in contempt and then I really will bring charges against you." With a barely restrained f bomb, Lauren sat back down.

The judge looked at Jason. "You had one more item to present to me?"

"Two actually."

Felicia raised her brows. "Good enough. I'll take a brief recess so I can review these documents."

We all sat there baking in our sweat until she returned, looking sterner than before. "The plaintiff has approached the court to approve his emancipation." She looked at Jason and Rachel and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"It's the right thing to do. And we have his back..._always_," Rachel said softly.

"And about this other matter?" Now she was looking at me and I nodded once. Felicia looked at Lauren and beckoned us both to the bench.

She let Lauren read the contents of the document, which was both a restraining order and relinquishing her position as legal executor of my trust fund. With shaking hands, she signed it and just before walking out, she said, "You'll regret this."

My words stopped her dead. "Never. And I can honestly say this is the best day of my life. Now get out of my sight."


	76. Chapter 76

76

And just like that, it was over. It felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted, and I stopped in the doorway to take a deep breath. When we got to the exit, there was Kat, emerging from deep shade into bright sunshine, late morning sun outlining her hair like a corona.

The light of my life. God, I loved her so much I couldn't speak for a moment. Instead of saying what I felt, my usual cockiness took hold. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She rolled her eyes at my tone. "Waiting for you. How did it go?"

I shrugged. "It's done."

"So you nailed them to the wall?" she asked, eyes skating across my face to that of Lauren and Dick as they stomped off to his oversized Ford 1-ton.

"Not exactly," I admitted.

Rachel came to stand beside me and touched my arm briefly. "We did what we could."

"Which was what?" Kat said, foot tapping with her growing impatience at our replies.

"Community service and counseling," Jason said, taking the words straight out of my mouth.

Kat snorted. "Seriously? After all your rhetoric about screwing them, you are letting them off?"

She was about to go ballistic, so I handled it the way I always did. "Yeah, so what?"

Kat was practically in my face when she said, "Always thought it was eye for an eye."

I touched an errant curl that had strayed from her ponytail and pushed it back gently. "Been there and done that."

"That's all you have to say?"

"For now." I looked at Rachel and said, "How about lunch? I'm starving."

"You got it."

Kat followed us to the Chinese place downtown and smiled approvingly at the wide array of vegetarian options. We found a big table and shot the shit about everything and nothing. When it finally ended, I shook Jason's hand and thanked him for helping out. "Seriously, dude, couldn't have done it without you."

"So you're emancipated now?" Kat said as we walked to her car.

"Yeah."

"So fast?"

I had no idea what the legal process was, but I got the feeling Jason had pulled more than a few strings to make it all happen in one outing. And pulling Felicia Grant was nothing short of a miracle, for this could have easily gone the other way. "Looks that way."

Kat suddenly hugged me and buried her face in the thick curls at the nape of my neck. "Thank God," was all she said.

Something stirred deep inside me and all my pent up emotion was released as I captured her mouth under mine. Our tongues pirouetted as I deepened the kiss, not caring that everyone was watching and both of us were becoming quickly aroused. When I finally broke it off, I said, "Catch up with you later?"

Her baby finger caught mine as she said, "Mmm, sounds like a plan."

Epilogue

More than two weeks passed without sex, and I was going stir crazy. Walter was dogging us constantly, and there was no escape.

I met up with Rachel, not wanting to complain after all she'd done for me, but I needed help. "We have no privacy," I said, knowing she'd figure out what I was getting at.

"What about Jess's love shack?"

Jess was getting it on with a college girl, and they were there constantly. "Occupied."

"Maybe we can make an arrangement. Let me talk to him."

Knowing what Jess's price would be, I sighed. "Don't bother. I can handle this."

Rachel was having none of it. "But I must insist..."

This would not turn out well. "He wants me to play cello for his sisters."

Her laugh was slightly mocking. "Why not? You're good, and think you're cute."

I looked at her in disgust. "Not you too!"

"You promised to play over two weeks ago on a Friday night. It's time to pay the piper."

"Thanks a lot," I said mildly. "Are you joining me?"

She shook her head. "Not me. But some friends may show up."

"What'd you do, take out full page ads?"

Rachel pretended to give that some thought. "That's a great idea. And maybe we can pass the hat."

"You're just eating this up, aren't you?"

Her only answer was a Cheshire cat grin that stayed in my mind long after her departure.

Friday arrived far too quickly, and I was a bear all day. Kat picked up my mood and we sniped at one another way more than usual. By the time 7:00 rolled around, I was a ball of stress and was ready to explode with frustration.

We got to the farmhouse and I was surprised at the number of cars in the driveway. There were at least three cars I didn't recognize, and a bunch of strangers were laughing on the screened porch.

Cocktail hour was well underway when we made our appearance, and they all stopped talking when I shoved through the screen door. I was about to demand what the hell was going on, but the words died when a curly haired man that was my spitting image turned to smile at me.

It was a broad grin full of straight, white teeth and bits of appetizer. Completely unaffected and genuinely glad to see me. He pumped my hand and said, "I am Pietro. So glad to meet you."

Then three striking, dark women hugged me and kissed my cheeks. "You are so like him," said the oldest of the three.

"Who?" I asked, my eyes darting to Rachel and then crossing Jess's amused face and finally landing on the older woman who had made the comment.

She walked over to me and her hands touched both sides of my face. "Paolo, my son."

"S-son?" My stammer barely hinted at my inner confusion. "So you're my..."

"Nonna."

I had a grandmother, who was not only alive but clearly thriving? "But why..." I looked at Rachel. "Why did you wait so long?"

Rachel hung her head slightly. "I was ashamed."

My grandmother touched her arm. "It's time to let go."

I had to agree. It was water under the bridge as far as I was concerned. I looked at the rest of my father's family and said, "So what are your names?"

Pietro introduced the three women. "This is Silvana, your grandmother, and my sisters, Olivia and Ilaria."

Jess chose that moment to step in. "And guess what? They all play instruments. How cool is that?"

My mouth opened a bit until Kat elbowed me and said, "You're catching flies."

I elbowed her back and almost groaned when Jess's sisters descended on us, their hands brushing against me as they took their seats.

And then the spotlight was on me and my long lost family, and there was only one thing for it: play already.

[Kat]

I was in awe as two cellos, two violins, a viola, and a stand up bass started playing as if they had played together all their lives. They slipped into Bach Cello Suite Number Six, which I learned later was Patrick's favorite. And in a laugh out loud moment, Pietro suddenly started picking up the pace and they were deep into The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony by the time I figured out what they were playing.

The joy on Patrick's face was a wonder to behold, and he glowed with happiness for the rest of the night. His father's entire family invited us both to Tuscany when we breaked for Christmas, and I was pretty sure what my father's answer would be.

We all gathered for dinner afterwards, and Patrick remained deep in conversation with his aunts, laughing easily as they conversed in Italian. I was starting to feel like a third wheel when his grandmother Silvana linked her arm through mine and said, "Let's walk, you and I."

We moved in comfortable silence down the length of the drive until she said, "You are good together."

"Thank you. It's been..._interesting_."

Silvana laughed at my tone. "He needs a strong woman to keep him in line. Just as my husband had me, Patrick has you."

It was a bit premature to think we'd be together for eternity, but I didn't want to burst her bubble. I was about to reply when a strong arm stole around my waist and Patrick kissed my cheek. "He sure does," he said. "Mind if I steal her away for awhile?"

His nonna smiled knowingly and stepped to one aside. "By all means."

Patrick took my hand and led me out of sight and up the hill to the love shack. The door was open and warm light spilled onto the grass. We moved through the frame and he kicked the door shut behind us, locking it firmly before gathering me in his arms and kissing me forcefully. When I finally was able to speak, he handed me a single red rose and I then saw rose petals scattered all over the bed.

The covers were turned back and my mouth went dry at the look on Patrick's face. There was the usual lust, but this was something profound. His eyes darkened as I slowly untied the knot at my waist. My wrap dress fell to my feet and then my panties and bra swiftly followed as Patrick stripped me bare. His gaze took me in from head to toe but returned to my face. He kissed me softly and said, "Now it's your turn."

Black chest hair spilled over his collarbone and I traced it lightly with my fingers. Then I slowly unbuttoned his shirt, stopping once or twice to slip my hand inside and caress his pecs, enjoying the hiss of his breath when my nails scraped across his pecs. I finished with the buttons and pushed his shirt off his shoulder, and for a long moment, I took in his male splendor, covering his chest with caresses and kisses until he stopped me. "You don't want to finish before we get started, do you?"

I started to answer, but my words were lost in a moan as he dipped his head and swirled his tongue across my breasts. His other hand swooped between my legs and I could barely believe what he was doing with his fingers. It was about to drive me insane, and he seemed to sense this. With his hand still working its magic on me, he managed to lose the rest of his clothes and then he was on me and in me.

We'd had mind-blowing sex before, but that was nothing compared to this magical moment. Our bodies and minds were completely in tune and just before the moment when we reached the point of no return, he bit my ear and said something in Italian.

He said it again as he drove against me, thrusting harder with each swivel of his hips and the translation hit home around the time he came.

[Patrick]

"I adore you."

_Ti adoro_.

I said it a few more times as we made love, and then I repeated it in English.

Kat bit down hard on my lip and said breathlessly, "Right back at you."

We finally showered and woke up late into the night. "I should probably head home," she said, frowning at the time on the clock radio.

I stretched my arms over my head and watched as she got dressed, a sight I would never grow tired of. "Me too. Need a lift?"

She laughed. "On the bike?"

"Sure. What else?"

"My Dad will have a fit."

"I'm counting on it," I said, slipping on my leather jacket and offering my hand.

Kat snickered before slipping her fingers through mine. "He's not going anywhere," she cautioned.

I kissed her cheek and then finished with, "Neither am I," before handing her a helmet and smirking as she twisted it on her head and settled behind me, maybe forever. At least I hoped so.

The End

Note: Thanks for staying with me through this very long story, and sorry it took so long to finish. I know some of the legal stuff wasn't a reflection of reality, but I wanted to get past that and on to the ending I've had planned all along. Thanks again.


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